Pat Fenlon closes in on more new Hibs signings

Hibs boss Pat Fenlon today revealed he’s closing in on further summer signings with a return to pre-season training only five days away.

Fenlon’s squad reports back to begin preparing for the new season on Monday and, to date, only Tim Clancy has put pen to paper, the former Kilmarnock and Motherwell defender agreeing a two-year deal.

However, Fenlon is confident further new faces will follow as he begins an extensive rebuilding of a squad which has struggled to make an impact in the SPL over the past two seasons.

Acknowledging the anxiety of supporters to learn the identity of those he hopes to recruit, Fenlon said: “We are close on one or two, we just need to get them over the line. In the next few days we’ll hopefully do that.

“We are deep in talks trying to get things done, but to get good players in means you have to be patient. I’m aware time is marching on, but we don’t want to sign players for the sake of it.”

Although Hibs have been linked with a host of names including a return to Edinburgh for Coventry City’s James McPake, Carlisle’s Slovakian internationalist Lubomir Michalik and Paul Cairney of Partick Thistle, Fenlon declined to identify those he is chasing other than to declare he has pinpointed exactly where his squad needs strengthened.

Meanwhile, Easter Road stalwart Ian Murray, released at the end of the season along with goalkeeper Graham Stack and Garry O’Connor as the lengthy list of loan signings returned to their parent clubs, is poised to further his career in the USA.

The utility man has been offered a week’s trial with Tampa Bay Rowdies with a view to a permanent deal with the side which plays in the second tier of US football, the North American Soccer League.