Credit: Imago

James Barker

Mon 4 May 2026 11:40, UK

Darko Gyabi has returned to fitness in time for Hull City’s Championship play-off campaign, as the former Leeds United midfielder closes in on a Premier League return.

Signed from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, it was hoped that Gyabi would blossom into a key player for Leeds.

However, the midfielder only ended up making six competitive appearances during his three years as a Whites player.

After an initial short-term loan deal with Plymouth Argyle in the 2023-24 season, he returned to the Pilgrims on a season-long loan for the 2024-25 campaign.

Upon returning to Elland Road last summer, however, Gyabi left Leeds in a permanent transfer, joining Championship side Hull City.

How has Darko Gyabi fared for Hull City this season?

Gyabi was happy to leave Leeds to sign for Hull, as it was clear that the midfielder wasn’t in Daniel Farke‘s plans.

Now 22, he’s at the stage of his career where playing regular football is the most important thing, and thus, a move back down to the Championship presented him with a better opportunity to do so.

Unfortunately for Gyabi, however, 2025-26 has seen him miss 20 games after suffering a groin injury in January which required surgery.

He’s now recovered from that problem, and made his return to the matchday squad in Hull’s final game of the season against Norwich on Saturday.

The Tigers won that game 2-1, and with Wrexham drawing against Middlesbrough, that ensured City would finish sixth and secure a two-legged play-off semi-final matchup with Millwall.

Gyabi could be set to play a significant role across those two games, and potentially a Wembley final too, as when he’s been on the pitch this season, some of his underlying numbers have actually been pretty good.

In the 20 Championship appearances he’s made in 2025-26, Gyabi has scored 0.26 goals per 90, has registered a passing accuracy of 81.5 per cent and a long ball success rate of 70 per cent, per FotMob.

He’s also registered a crossing accuracy of 33.3 per cent, has won 5.74 duels, made 2.22 tackles and 5.35 recoveries per 90, whilst also winning 1.57 aerial duels per game too.

How likely is it Hull and Gyabi win Premier League promotion?

So, Gyabi and Hull are now just three games away from a return to Premier League football, but what chance do they have in the play-offs?

Well, against a third-placed Millwall side, on paper at least, they have the toughest path to the final.

However, many Championship fans believe that Southampton are in fact the strongest side in the play-offs, and they take on Middlesbrough for a place at Wembley.

Hull have beaten Millwall 3-1 and lost to them by that exact same scoreline this season, so the two look evenly matched in that regard.

Boro and Saints are both in good form though, and so the Tigers would probably be the underdogs against either of those two in the final should they tame the Lions.