Hibs pursuit of top transfer target 'ongoing' as Deadline Day looms

Dundee's Luke McCowan - a transfer target for Hibs - is tackled by Lewis Miller during Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Easter Road. (Photo by Simon Wootton / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Hibernian remain in hot pursuit of Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan. And Dark Blues boss Tony Docherty has admitted that he isn’t guaranteed to keep hold of his star man beyond Friday’s transfer deadline, saying of the situation: “It’s ongoing.”

McCowan remains near the top of Hibs boss David Gray’s wanted list and, with the 26-year-old into the final year of his contract, he’s hoping that the promise of a proper fee – believed to be in excess of £750,000 – will make economic sense to a club who could lose their asset as a free agent at the end of the campaign. The Easter Road outfit’s preference is to land McCowan immediately – and put him straight into the starting XI.

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Despite reported interest from Celtic, Hibs are confident that they’re in contention for McCowan’s services, with Dundee still make an official response to their third bid. Providing an update on potential movement, Docherty insisted: “There haven’t been any developments on that front.”

With nine new faces in the door during his first transfer window as a head coach, Gray isn’t done on the recruitment front. Sporting director Malky Mackay is hard at work trying to land another central defender, in particular. 

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It is expected that the club’s tie-in with Bill Foley’s Black Knight stable of teams will bear some fruit before the week is out, with a number of Bournemouth prospects being offered to Hibs. Mackay and Gray will have final say on any signings coming via that route, however, with both adamant that any late-window acquisitions will have to be ready to add quality to the first team quickly.