Why Hibs won't cut losses entirely on Elias Melkersen after latest loan move

News that Hibs striker Elias Melkersen has joined Norwegian side Strømsgodset on loan will not have come as a surprise.

Elias Melkersen has struggled to impose himself on the current Hibs team.

A player who was brought in by a previous regime, in January 2022 as a long-term prospect, his failure to assert himself to the extent that he is viewed as a go-to starter rendered it a necessity to usher him out on a temporary basis.

Despite 32 appearances since his arrival from Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, there has only been a three-goal return, with things still to fully click for the youngster. Which is why kicking his heels was never going to be the right career choice for a player unable to command a concerted and positive run in the first team and in need of something that can spark the next stage of his development.

As it stands, the problem is where exactly to slot him into the team. He has not delivered consistently enough to lead the line and shoulder the burden of regular goal contributions, while out wide has never really been his most comfortable placement. And, the fact is whether he is played as a number nine or ten, or tasked with coming in from the flanks as part of a three, Hibs boss Lee Johnson has more experienced, more dangerous and – at the moment – more reliable options in those areas.

So, another loan move is the smart route. The intention is to fine tune his abilities and his sharpness after almost a year of inactivity and bolster his confidence in the hope he will become a more valuable asset if he decides to move on permanently, or return to Leith a more potent striker, capable of finally making a real mark on the Scottish Premiership. Whether he does or does not, it won’t be for the want of trying. Which is why Hibs are not ready to completely cut their losses on a player who cost them over £350,000 and is still young enough and hungry enough to learn and improve.

But the fact that Hibs will be able to shave some of his earnings off their wage bill while he is back in his homeland, trying to establish himself, is a bonus, especially as he was unlikely to be granted more than the odd cameo appearance while Dylan Vente, Adam Le Fondre and Christian Doidge are fit and in form.

The 20-year-old had hoped to make more of an impression this term, after a lengthy concussion hampered him at the start of last season and the spell at Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam, in the second half of the campaign didn’t go as planned. But, performances from Doidge, who offers something different from summer signings Le Fondre and Vente, shoved Melkersen down the pecking order. it is hoped that a return to familiar surroundings will be the springboard to success, as he joins Strømsgodset in the Norwegian top-flight.

“Elias has all the attributes to be a top player but needs regular football to continue his development,” explained Johnson “This loan move allows him to gain that in a league and country he knows well. We want him to use this loan as an opportunity to showcase his ability, and come back an even better player in January after the loan concludes."