Will Fish's Hibs-Man Utd future discussed as Nick Montgomery hints at more loanees

Loan market is big attraction to Hibs as they look to keep Fish

Looking to keep Will Fish at Easter Road for the remainder of the season, Hibs boss Nick Montgomery says the club will be looking to complete more loan deals as a way of bolstering the squad. But, with so many of the club’s development players on the fringes of the first team squad, he insists that any newcomers will have to do more than merely make up numbers.

Manchester United loanee Fish first joined the Leith club early last term but it took him until the turn of the year to become a regular starter, making 21 appearances and scoring three goals. Having grown in stature the 20-year-old returned for a second loan spell at the beginning of this campaign and has already played 28 games. The Old Trafford club have a recall option in January but Hibs are keeping their fingers crossed that it won’t be activated.

“This is a situation we’ve spoken about,” said Montgomery, who has juggled Rocky Bushiri and Paul Hanlon but has consistently selected the Old Trafford youngster. “I don’t think there is any danger of Will moving on. Fingers crossed, he’s going to be here for the season, unless some offer comes in that he can’t refuse – and Man United can’t refuse. But they’re happy with his progress, Will is really happy here, so, hopefully, we get through this window, and he’ll be here for the season.”

On-loan Will Fish hopes to see out the remainder of the season at Hibs. Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group

There is also a good chance Fish won’t be the only loanee at Hibs. “It’s very hard to bring players in on permanent deals in January,” said Montgomery. “It’s a better opportunity to bring in loan players to help us, and we help them get out of clubs to play games. The clubs help us by giving us good players, that’s the whole point of a loan system.

“There’s no point in bringing loan players to sit on the bench. I’ve got young players on the bench and I don’t want to block their development. I’ve got Rudi Molotnikov, Rory Whittaker, and Josh Landers. They’re the academy products we want to try and develop so we have to bring in players that can make an immediate impact and start games of football for us. If not, we’re not really progressing.”

Other players could be moved on, though, as Hibs look to free up finance to strengthen. Several are on the brink of a return from injury but with others still sidelined and some likely to miss the restart due to international commitments, Montgomery has said he is looking to bring in at least four new faces. “If you do the recruitment right, there are quality players out there who are close to playing in good teams, and for whatever reason they’re not getting regular game-time,” he said. “The opportunity for them to go out and play games is why the loan system is attractive, but we have to make sure the players coming in are ready, if not the first week then within a few weeks.

“Ideally, any players coming in will go with us on the winter break, that’s the ideal scenario. We go on January 9 for a week. But sometimes the reality is clubs won’t let players go until they get their own targets, so as much as we want them in as early as possible, we have to wait until the last minute. All we can do is continue to work hard in identifying players. We can only do what’s within our means and there is no magic wand.”