Filip Modelski to play for Hibs Under-20s in bid to win deal

The 23-year-old right-back has been training at Easter Road over the past week as Neil Lennon looks to bring in cover and competition for captain David Gray.

Teenage midfielder Scott Martin was deployed at right-back in the skipper’s absence for the Irn-Bru Cup win over Turriff United on Sunday, but the manager is eager to ensure he has another specialist in the position for the remainder of the season.

Modelski, a free agent after leaving Polish top-flight side Jagiellonia Bialystok at the end of last season, is Hibs’ primary target after former Motherwell and Slask Wroclaw right-back Tom Hateley, who held talks with Lennon last month, signed for Dundee yesterday. The Pole will be given the chance to impress when he turns out for Grant Murray’s under-20 side in their SPFL development league match at Oriam at 1pm this afternoon.

“We’ll have a good look at him in the 20s game,” Lennon told the Evening News. “He’s trained well. There are other options out there, but at the minute, he’s the only one we’re looking at. He’s in pole position at the moment.”

Modelski, a former West Ham United academy player, made 12 appearances for Jagiellonia last season but didn’t feature from October onwards after being caught up in a contract wrangle with the Polish club. He won his only cap for the full Polish national team as a 19-year-old in 2011 and had been hopeful of forcing his way into their Euro 2016 squad prior to losing his place at club level.

Meanwhile, Hibs will find out their Irn-Bru Cup fourth-round opponents today when the draw is made at Oriam. The top two clubs from Northern Ireland – Linfield and Crusaders – and Wales – Bala Town and The New Saints – will join them in the hat for the next stage, which will be played on the weekend of October 8/9.

• Former Hibs striker Farid El Alagui has signed for Dunfermline Athletic.

The 31-year-old has penned a deal at East End Park until the end of January following a successful trial period.

El Alagui, who had spells at Falkirk, Brentford and Dundee United before joining the Hibees, spent a largely injury-ravaged two years at Easter Road. He suffered a ruptured Achilles’ heel just weeks into his Hibs career in August 2014 and, although he recovered from that setback, he was also afflicted by knee and hamstring injuries. He scored five goals in 15 games for Hibs.

El Alagui could make his debut for the Pars in Saturday’s home Championship clash with Dundee United.

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