Hibs: Mykola Kukharevych injury update and Marijan Čabraja latest as club set to cut losses with loanee

Hibs are hopeful of having Mykola Kukharevych available for Saturday’s visit of Livingston, with manager Lee Johnson set to give the striker until the last possible moment to prove his fitness.

The Ukrainian forward bagged three goals in ten games following his season-long loan move from ESTAC Troyes but an injury he picked up during the 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock in the last game before the break for the World Cup ruled him out of two under-21 international matches as well as both mid-season friendlies against Middlesbrough and Raith Rovers.

Johnson had initially been hopeful that the 21-year-old would be fit for the trip to Rangers last Thursday night and, if not, the Livingston clash but Kukharevych didn’t make the matchday squad at Ibrox, instead joining the Hibs fans in the away section for the 3-2 defeat. He posted on Instagram that he would ‘come back soon’ but is understood to only be around fifty-fifty for Saturday’s visit of Livingston.

One player who could be leaving the club next month is Momodou Bojang. The on-loan striker was initially sidelined with a groin injury after doing extra unsanctioned training but even after returning to fitness was omitted from matchday squads. With Johnson desperate to trim an overly large squad, the Gambian forward’s loan deal could be cancelled at the halfway point after he failed to make an impact. Winger Stevie Bradley has already been moved on, joining cinch Premiership rivals Livingston last week, and Bojang could follow him out the Easter Road exit door.

Hibs are hopeful Mykola Kukharevych will be fit for the visit of Livingston

But defender Marijan Čabraja is unlikely to be going anywhere, contrary to reports suggesting he could be set to depart barely six months into a three-year deal. The 25-year-old signed from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer as a replacement for Josh Doig following the youngster’s move to Hellas Verona in Serie A and has started 14 of his 16 appearances for the club, including last week’s match against Ibrox in which he set up Kevin Nisbet’s goal.

Čabraja had to come to terms with the sudden passing of his father in August, and Johnson sees the Croatian left-back, who posted impressive stats against Rangers despite the final result and overall team performance in the second period, as a key part of his plans at Hibs.