Hibs working on loan deal for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Ryan Gauld

Hibs are understood to be working on a loan deal for former Dundee United rising star Ryan Gauld.

Hibs are understood to be working on a loan deal for former Dundee United rising star Ryan Gauld.

The 23-year-old, who joined Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon in 2014, could be poised for a return to Scottish football after the Easter Road side stepped up their pursuit of the Scot this week.

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Bristol City were linked with Gauld earlier this week and the Robins’ interest is thought to have prompted the Capital club to try and thrash out a deal before the squad flies out for a winter training camp in Dubai.

Gauld played 51 times for United, scoring nine goals and registering 12 assists, before Sporting snapped him up on a six-year deal worth around £3 million in July 2014.

He has scored twice and assisted one in five appearances for the Verde e brancos, mostly appearing for the club’s B team, with whom he has eight goals and three assists in 78 outings.

The former Scotland Under-21 international has had temporary spells with Vitoria de Setubal and Desportivo Aves, and is currently on as season-long loan at Farense.

However, there is understood to be a clause in Gauld’s contract allowing him to cancel the loan with the Portuguese second-tier club if there is interest in him from a top-flight team elsewhere.