Hull City have appointed Ruben Selles as their new head coach a little over a week after Tim Walter's departure and after agreeing terms with League One side Reading.

City have confirmed their new head coach has signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the option of a third, and he will be in the stands to watch his new side against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Selles emerged as Acun Ilicali's number one target earlier this week, and once City agreed a compensation package with Reading, talks with the Spaniard happened quickly, with the 41-year-old making it clear he relished the chance to take over the struggling Championship club. He brings trusted coaches James Oliver-Pearce (assistant head coach) and Tobias Loveland (first team coach)with him from Berkshire, while Andy Dawson remains on the coaching staff as first team coach.

The Spaniard said his goodbyes at the Royals' Bearwood training centre on Thursday before heading up to East Yorkshire on Friday, where he met the staff and players at City's training ground before heading to the MKM Stadium to meet staff there and carry out his club media engagements.

Despite their lowly league position, City received a flurry of applications for the vacant role, with Ilicali and his self-confessed brain team picking out their six top contenders, who were all interviewed as part of the process.

Ex-Norwich City and Sunderland manager Alex Neil is understood to have impressed during his interview, while Slavisa Jokanovic, Chris Hughton, Steven Schumacher, Mark Robins and John Eustace were all considered, amongst others who also had previous success in the Championship. But it was the former Southampton interim chief who stood out above everybody else in the eyes of Ilicali, and he moved quickly to strike a deal with the Royals.

Despite their lowly league position, City received a flurry of applications for the vacant role, with Ilicali and his self-confessed brain team picking out their six top contenders, who were all interviewed as part of the process.

Ex-Norwich City and Sunderland manager Alex Neil is understood to have impressed during his interview, while Slavisa Jokanovic, Chris Hughton, Steven Schumacher, Mark Robins and John Eustace were all considered, amongst others who also had previous success in the Championship. But it was the former Southampton interim chief who stood out above everybody else in the eyes of Ilicali, and he moved quickly to strike a deal with the Royals.

Selles, who took charge of Southampton for 17 games after the sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl, having been the Austrian's assistant, left St Mary's following their relegation to the Championship in May 2023. He moved on to Reading where he steadied the ship, recovering from 10 points adrift off safety, to finish nine clear of the drop zone with a squad often made up of academy players, given the club's financial issues.

He will now get the chance to manage in the Championship. His task at City is clear: to move the Tigers away from the relegation zone, using a high-intensity press designed to score goals, something the Tigers haven't been able to do often enough this season, and owner Ilicali will be desperate to see his latest incumbent achieve.

It's expected Selles will be officially unveiled to the local and national media on Tuesday ahead of his first game in charge against Watford at the MKM Stadium on Wednesday.