Hibs injury news - latest on record signing and key playmaker as Easter Road side prepare for Falkirk visit
Gaffer provides latest bulletins on Klidje, Cadden, Hoilett and Obita as Hanley returns from suspension
Hibs will be without a number of key players for tomorrow’s visit of Falkirk, as David Gray’s men look to recover from back-to-back Scottish Premiership defeats with a positive performance at Easter Road. But David Gray is optimistic that one of his top performers won’t be out for the long term despite limping off before half-time in last weekend’s home loss to Celtic.
Nicky Cadden could be out for up to two weeks with the calf strain that forced him off with his team heading towards a 2-1 defeat. With Jordan Obita also cited as a “doubt” by Gray, Hibs could be short of a specialist left wingback for the visit of John McGlynn’s Bairns, who sit level with Gray’s men on 21 points.
£1.5 million summer signing Klidje struggling
Record signing Thibault Klidje, meanwhile, will also miss tomorrow’s contest after failing to recover from an ankle knock that ruled him out of the central game. And experienced attacking threat Junior Hoilett is also battling to make the match-day squad.
Gray, who is without teenage talent Rudi Molotnikov for the longer term because of an ankle issue, said: “We’ve got a few niggles, knocks, a couple out as well. Rudi’s still out.
“Nicky Cadden came off in the first half. He will be out, picked up a bit of muscle injury in his calf. Not too significant, which is positive, but he will miss this game, definitely.
“The positive, if there is a positive to take from it, is that it's not a six, eight-week injury for Nicky. It is two weeks, roughly, is what they've said. Ten days, two weeks.
“A few niggles as well, and Thibault Klidje is still out as well. So he's not quite made it, we kind of hoped he would be by the end of the week. But he tried to train yesterday, still not quite right.
“So another few days, and I think he should be OK. We expect him to be back in early part of next week. Worst case, back end of next week.
“So that's a bit of a blow for him, because he was progressing nicely with his ankle. But unfortunately, he's not going to be available this weekend either.
“A few doubts, Jordan Obita is a bit of a doubt. Junior Hoilett still a bit of a doubt.
“But at the same time, everybody else is healthy. Grant Hanley comes back in after suspension, which is positive. And everybody else is OK. So a few bumps and bruises, but part and parcel of the time of the year.”
Club captain Joe Newell, who got his first competitive minutes since December of 2024 when he came on late against Celtic, is back in the squad after completing his recovery from abdominal surgery. Hibs dropped to fifth in the Scottish Premiership as all of their nearest rivals played in midweek, although they’re still just two points off third spot.