Christian Doidge joins Kilmarnock on loan as Hibs step up striker chase

Hibs striker Christian Doidge has agreed a season-long loan move to Kilmarnock, with the Easter Road side stepping up their pursuit of striking reinforcements.

The 30-year-old has played in all five of the Capital club’s Scottish Premiership matches, but started just one – last weekend’s 1-0 defeat by St Mirren.

Doidge has been linked with a number of clubs in recent weeks, including Dundee and Dundee United as well as a return to former side Forest Green Rovers.

Speaking after the Paisley defeat the Welshman addressed his future, saying: “I’m just keeping my head down.

“I love playing for this club and I’m going to keep turning up every day until I’m told otherwise.”

But he will spend the remainder of the 2022/23 season in Ayrshire with last year’s Championship winners and alongside former Hibee team-mates Fraser Murray and Oli Shaw.

There is no option to buy as part of the deal, and no break clauses either, and he will be ineligible to face his parent club at Easter Road this weekend. He has so far played 118 times for Hibs, scoring 37 times in the process.

Doidge’s departure is likely to free up funds to bring in another striker but the Evening News understands nothing is imminent despite links with Swindon Town forward Harry McKirdy, who has been touted for a move north of the Border for some time now, and Queens Park Rangers forward Macauley Bonne, who could be allowed to leave Loftus Road with several clubs keeping tabs on his situation.