Hibs are being linked with creative, attacking midfielders. Here's why that makes sense

Kevin Nisbet, Josh Campbell, Élie Youan, Mykola Kukharevych, Martin Boyle, Ryan Porteous, Will Fish, Kyle Magennis, Ewan Henderson, and Chris Cadden.

That’s the top ten goalscorers for Hibs in the cinch Premiership so far this season and immediately there are a number of glaring issues. One of the players – Porteous – has already left the club; Nisbet has only played 14 games; three of the top ten are on loan; four of the ten have spent significant periods on the sidelines, and two of them are defenders.

But the biggest concern is goals, or a relative lack of, from midfield. Campbell is something of an outlier, having contributed eight goals and four assists from 31 league matches. Henderson and Magennis have only managed three between them, albeit the latter has been out injured, but he still managed two in his 13 games. The only other midfielders to find the net this season have been Joe Newell once, against Kilmarnock, and Nohan Kenneh once, in a 2-1 defeat by Livingston.

Campbell’s haul so far, and he could well add to it, is the largest individual goal contribution in league games from an out-and-out midfielder in a Hibs shirt since Stevie Mallan hit seven during the 2018/19 season. Before that it was Scott Robertson with six during the 2014/15 season in the Championship. Dean Shiels managed seven from midfield during the 2006/07 and 2007/08 campaigns but was often utilised further forward and before that it was Ian Murray with eight during the 2002/03 season and Russell Latapy seven during the 2000/01 season.

Josh Campbell celebrates a goal against Aberdeen

Discounting Shiels and Murray, given he often played as a centre-back and full-back or wing-back, just three natural midfielders in the last 20 or so years have managed a respectable tally from league matches, which is one reason Campbell has been so vital. His goals have single-handedly secured at least seven points; three against St Johnstone on the opening day of the season, one against Rangers in August, and three against Aberdeen in September. He was also involved in five of the six goals against the Dons in January. Like many players his goal involvements tend to come in patches, but he has undeniably been a vital player for Hibs this season.

Johnson has also lamented the catalogue of injuries that have prevented him from starting the same XI week to week on more than just three or four occasions. Magennis showed both last season and this term in his fleeting appearances that he can be a threat from midfield but another unknown is how he will fare after his latest setback while the manager has also talked up Henderson’s ability, urging him to show more consistency.

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The club hasn’t ever really replaced John McGinn’s engine, although Campbell has a similar energy, nor Scott Allan’s wizardry, or Mallan’s eye for goal from range. Could that change this summer? Hibs are exploring the possibility of bringing Jonny Williams to the club, reviving their interest in January when they were keen on a deal but couldn’t agree a fee with Swindon Town. The former Welsh internationalist is well known to Lee Johnson and currently has ten goals for the Robins this season, although he has played nearly as much on the left wing as he has in a more central role. Williams would present a versatile option, one that would ideally chip in with a few goals. In terms of key metrics such as goals per 90, goals and assists, expected goals (xG), expected assists (xA), xG and xA per 90, big chances created, and chances created overall, the 29-year-old is in the top three for every metric. At the moment, Hibs have at least one midfielder in the top three for those stats but it is shared between Campbell, Newell, and Henderson.

Lee Johnson has identified a need for more goals from midfield

Jamie McGrath has been perennially linked with Hibs dating back to the Jack Ross era, a 21st century Adam Le Fondre, of sorts. A deal for the then St Mirren man collapsed at the eleventh hour and the Republic of Ireland internationalist has been touted for a move ever since. Like Williams, he scores highly in nearly every key metric – second for goals scored, second for combined goals and assists, second for xG, top for xA, top for chances created, third for xG and xA per 90. There would appear to be greater interest in Williams at the time of writing but the departure of Swindon boss Jody Morris on Monday may complicate things on that front.

Why Hibs need the midfield to step up

It is a summer of uncertainty for Hibs in terms of personnel, particularly in the final third. We don’t yet know if a permanent deal will be struck for Youan, while the futures of Doidge, Kukharevych, and Nisbet remain uncertain, although the Scotland striker has been tipped to leave as he enters the last 12 months of his contract. And what of Aiden McGeady, currently injured, whose deal expires at the end of the season? We also don’t know how Boyle will fare when he returns from injury.

There are a lot of unknowns. One known is that more than half of Hibs’ league goals so far this season – 27 – have been scored by players who are either on loan, have left the club, or have been tipped to leave. Another unknown is Campbell’s future. With transfer interest in the 22-year-old in January, and Bologna keeping tabs on the player more recently, were he to depart in the summer it would leave Hibs not just without a versatile and reliable young player, but the source of most of their goals from midfield.

Hibs need to improve next season and smart recruitment, better luck on the injury front, and the right blend of players can go a long way to helping that – but a few more goals from midfield wouldn’t go amiss either.