Hull City attacker Mason Burstow has admitted his future is unclear as he prepares for this weekend’s League One play-off final with loan club Bolton Wanderers.
The 22-year-old joined the Tigers from Premier League giants Chelsea in 2024 for a fee of around £2 million. However, he struggled to nail down a regular starting berth at the MKM Stadium, with the majority of his 31 Championship appearances during the 2024/25 campaign coming from the substitutes bench.
This saw Burstow make a temporary switch to Bolton last summer and a return to League One for the first time since he broke through at Charlton Athletic in 2021. It’s proved a fruitful decision, with the former England under-20 international scoring 12 times in 52 outings across all competitions.
Burstow Future Hinges On Weekend Results
Hull are scheduled to take on Southampton in the Championship play-off final on Saturday as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. Meanwhile, Burstow will travel to Wembley the following day as Bolton take on Stockport County for a place in the second tier.
The results of both games are likely to have a direct impact on the striker’s future, especially if Hull are successful. Speaking to The Bolton News, Burstow addressed the situation:
“I don’t know at the moment. Obviously, both teams, Bolton and Hull, don’t know really where we lie next season.
“It could be the same thing. It could be Premier League and Championship, it could be Championship and League One, Premier League and League One, we all don’t know what it is going to look like or where it lies.
“I’m sure we’ll speak after the Wembley games. But for me, my eyes are just on the Stockport game and making sure I do everything I can to get Bolton over the line.”
Could Burstow Return To Bolton?
Burstow still has two years remaining on his current deal but it does appear that his future is away from East Yorkshire. Even if Hull fail to gain promotion, it seems unlikely at this stage that he will become a regular fixture in the starting lineup.
Therefore, a return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium could be a move that suits all parties. This will depend on whether Bolton are successful on Sunday, with the player himself admitting he is ready to have another shot at Championship football:
“I always thought I could play at that level and obviously I have played lots of games in the Championship.
“When I came to League One in the summer, speaking to the gaffer and to Fergal (Harkin) and whatnot, it was about playing as a nine, proving I could play as a nine.
“It was the same thing in the Championship, I was being moved around positions, but I wanted that chance. And I feel like I have shown that this year.
“Next year is a really big one for me too, so I want to make the right decision.”
