Hibs facing big transfer decisions with 'offers pending' for certain players

Hibs boss Lee Johnson admits he has decisions to make over the coming weeks as he tries to make the most of his budget.

Hibs manager Lee Johnson faces a balancing act with his squad.

Having announced that Dylan Tait has signed a season-long loan with League One Hamilton, the Leith club are now weighing up the merits of other fringe players, while also working hard to add improvements via the transfer market. Freeing up finance and space as they try to strike the balance between strength in depth and an overly-bloated squad, Johnson admits that there are likely to be more players moving on – either on loan or on a permanent basis – as well as new faces arriving before the transfer window closes.

"We run a tight ship financially and therefore we have to make sure that we absolutely maximise the squad,” said Johnson. “We had a lot on the injury bed this time last year and a lot of understudies starting whereas now the understudies are genuinely ready to compete and, importantly, we've had a couple of windows to be able to recruit to suit the way I want to play. Some obviously fit into that anyway; Martin Boyle is still to come back, Jake Doyle-Hayes as well. Harry McKirdy just missed out with a hamstring but should be okay soon."

There have been suggestions that McKirdy could be on his way but, one game into the pre-season, Johnson says there are still a lot of decisions to be made. "I think there's a natural evolution every window and I think there will be this window,” the manager said. “We've got a couple of offers pending for our players but all parties have got to a) agree but b) also want to actually do that."

Hibs striker Christian Doidge (centre) is one of a clutch of players who have returned to the first-team squad after loan spells away last season.

And, with a few friendlies lined up and a pre-season training camp in Spain to help distil opinions, returning loan players like Christian Doidge, Elias Melkersen and Dan Mackay remain part of the thought process, according to the Leith gaffer. “I think there's always the opportunity to impress,” said Johnson. “Christian scored a few on loan last season; he's a good lad, an honest worker, and very experienced at this level. Melkersen is at the other end of the scale; he's still forging a career. He went away, didn't feature anywhere near as much as either we or him would’ve liked, but you can see the extra work in terms of technical stuff that he's been doing.

"Pre-season is always good because you don't have that build-up of negativity. Everybody gets a fresh start. I'm really conscious of not committing to too many things in pre-season because someone may well emerge and it doesn't matter whether that's a 17-year-old or a 37-year-old who's already in the building. Melkersen needs to keep honing his craft. He needs to score goals as a striker but I think he does a lot of great work.

"Aesthetically he's a great mover but I think he does too much work outside the width of the box to be a nine. Sometimes it's having that cuteness to delay, it's building rapport with the players around you, making sure of your receiving position. These are all the minor details but he's trustworthy, he's honest – he's probably one of the best professionals we've got at the football club and we want to give a player like that every chance.”