Dickoh is set for Hibs exit over pay demand

Francis DICKOH could be next to head for the Easter Road exit door after his agent claimed Hibs couldn't meet the defender's wage demands.

A Ghanaian internationalist although he was born in Denmark, the 28-year-old arrived on a season-long deal, signed by former boss John Hughes, from Dutch side Utrecht last summer.

Dickoh went on to make 31 appearances for Hibs, seemingly doing enough to convince manager Colin Calderwood to open negotiations over a new deal.

But today Dickoh's agent Michael Johansen indicated those talks are all but over, saying: "Francis has been very happy at Hibs but he also needs to look at the financial situation.

"He took a pay cut to go to Hibs and the issue for him is the salary. We've talked to the people at Hibs. They are looking after the club and not doing anything stupid financially. It's going to be difficult for Hibs to come up with the right offer."

Whether there is room for further negotiation remains to be seen but before the season's end Calderwood made it clear that out-of-contract stars such as Dickoh, Liam Miller, Graham Stack and Derek Riordan would be given "take it or leave it" offers, insisting he wouldn't allow them to use what was on the table as a bargaining tool to win a better deal with another club elsewhere.

Riordan has already indicated he'll be moving on with Houston Dynamo in the United States reported to have made him a new offer to play in the MLS, but Hibs fans are anxiously waiting to hear if midfielder Miller and goalkeeper Stack will still be around when the players report back for their pre-season training schedule three weeks on Monday.