Hibs in talks over future of five loan players as club look beyond end of the season

Hibs are speaking to their loan players and respective parent clubs about the prospect of retaining their services beyond the end of the current season.

Of the five players on loan at the Easter Road club, French forward Elie Youan is the only one known to have a clause in his contract allowing Hibs the option to buy him from Swiss side St.Gallen in the summer.

Will Fish is on a season-long loan from Manchester United, Mykola Kukharevych likewise from French club Troyes, while CJ Egan-Reilly and Matthew Hoppe joined from Burnley and Middlesbrough respectively in January.

All five players have made positive contributions and, keen to avoid a repeat of difficult past transfer windows, Hibs have already started the ball rolling on talks that could see some of the quintet remain at the club in some capacity next season.

Elie Youan is one of five players currently on loan at Hibs. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Chief executive Ben Kensell explained: “There are too many variables to say whether we can or can’t do deals but in terms of having conversations, we absolutely are, so we can ascertain what value we would need to get to, to bring them to the club on a full-time basis.

“Firstly there’s another club involved, so you need to have discussions with them, and the player needs to want it to happen as well. Certain contracts that we have allow us options, like we have with Élie.

"If you’re asking me if I believe the finances are in place to make decisions that are educated based on them being at HTC and playing in Scottish football and doing well for Hibs then the answer is yes. They aren’t calculated risks, we know what they can do."