Hibs keen to unclog the budget as Italian clubs show interest in midfielder

Hibs have accepted a bid from Forest Green Rovers for Jake Doyle-Hayes.

The Easter Road boss spoke of his sense of guilt following the training-ground tackle that forced the midfielder to sit out so much of this season and admitted that when fully fit, the Irishman was a trusted player in his ranks but with improvements needed, he acknowledged that his sale would release cash that could be diverted into strengthening other areas of the team.

“I haven’t had enough ‘Lee Johnson Hibs players’ here and that’s what I believe will allow us to improve and get to where we want to be,” the manager said. “We’ve had numbers but I don’t know, I just feel like there’s a big opportunity over the next two, three, four windows to really take what we’ve already got and add the bits that we can. It’s not a small budget, it’s not a bad budget we’re working with, but it’s clogged in my eyes. There’s got to be movement and trading, and that allows us to do the business that we want.”

While there are several clubs interested in signing Doyle-Hayes, who turned 24 today, only English League side Forest Green have met the capital club’s valuation, allowing them to discuss personal terms.

“Forest Green isn't the only interest; there’s interest from a few teams in England and a couple of teams in Italy,” continued Johnson. “The club has accepted an offer but, personally, I like Jake. I think he’s a really good footballer and we’ve missed his quality in certain games. He’s a player I’ve always trusted when he’s been on the pitch whether that’s off the bench or from the start.”

The former St Mirren player has made 53 appearances and scored two goals in his time at Hibs and Johnson has not ruled out him remaining at the club and battling for a return to the starting line up, despite him making just four starts in nine appearances this term. “I’m more than happy with Jake and if he stays here because he chooses not to accept the move then that’s fine by me.”

The player, who signed for Hibs in 2021 and has a contract that runs until summer 2025, is returning to full fitness having not featured since September. “He had a fragment of bone loose in his ankle that was agitating him a lot and then I slid in during training. Then his foot crumpled a little bit as he went to shoot and it aggravated that bone, and dislodged it a bit more, so he had it removed then he had a bit of a setback but now he’s in a good place. His injury was disappointing, particularly because I had a slight involvement in it which was bad and I feel extremely guilty about it. I probably shouldn’t because it was a pre-existing injury, but I do.”