Hibs linked with move for Belgian defender as report makes claim over Martin Boyle offer

Hibs have been linked with a move for Belgian defender Rocky Bushiri in the January transfer window.

Martin Boyle celebrates scoring his second goal against Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final. Picture: SNS

The 22-year-old has been at English Premier League side Norwich City for the past two-and-a-half years but has yet to make a single first-team appearance.

The Scottish Sun reports the defender will be free to join another club on a six-month loan deal with Shaun Maloney said to be keen having had prior knowledge of the under-21 star’s talents from his days working alongside head coach Roberto Martinez for the Belgium national team.

Bushiri has had four loans spells over the previous two seasons. One with Blackpool and another three back in his homeland with Sint-Truiden, Mechelen and Eupen, respectively.

If the deal can be completed Bushiri would become the club’s fourth signing in January after Elias Melkersen, Harry Clarke and Ewan Henderson put pen to paper earlier this week, while Chris Mueller and Dylan Tait joined Maloney’s squad for the first time after both agreed deals in the summer.

Maloney has been very busy in the opening days of the window after taking over as the permanent successor to Jack Ross and managing his new team to successive victories in the final two games of 2021.

Meanwhile, the same publication also claim Easter Road favourite Martin Boyle has been made aware of a £1million-a-year wage offer from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia.

The flying attacker still has two-and-a-half years left on the contract he signed earlier this season, which removed a £500,000 release clause from his previous deal.

Half-a-million pounds was said to be the offer from Saudi side Al Faisaly which Hibs immediately rejected last month as they seek a fee of at least six times as much for their star player.

The former Montrose forward joined Hibs in 2015 in an initial loan-swap for Alex Harris before signing permanently that summer. He gradually improved his standing from impact sub and squad player to the club’s talisman, netting 15 goals last season and a further 14 so far this campaign, including a famous hat-trick in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final victory over Rangers in November.

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