Hibs recruitment review - a look at the ELEVEN deals done in Gray's first window as gaffer

From shaky starters to potential Chosen One, how would you rate new faces?

Some have yet to kick a ball. One or two look as if they need to be reacquainted with the concept of competitive football. Early days, right?

The time for a proper review of David Gray’s first transfer window as head coach is probably January, at the earliest. Given the sheer number of players in the door, however, it’s worth taking a look at not merely the scale of overhaul overseen by new sporting director Malky Mackay – but the prospects of all 11 players recruited.

Hibs didn’t really expect to get as much business done during this window, with so few players out of contract restricting their ability to shift unwanted squad members off the books. Giving Dylan Vente, Jair Tavares, Allan Delferriere and Riley Harbottle opportunities to flourish elsewhere, while sending a few prospects out on loan, may prove just as valuable, in terms of creating a more manageable first team group, as any signing.

Mackay admitted that the entire process may well be repeated NEXT summer, too, with the number of players reaching the end of their current contracts necessitating a lot of deck clearing and asset replacement. Reflecting on the window just closed, he revealed: “I think we have to look at the number of transactions done this summer – 31 in 90 days. That includes loans in, loans out, permanent deals, contract extensions and half a dozen young guys getting their first proper contracts.

“That’s something you don’t want to be doing every year. We are going to be doing it again next year, because there are so many out of contract. But after that I’m hoping where we have only two or three people coming in during the summer window.”

With that in mind, and in no particular order, let’s inspect the footballers who pitched up at East Mains between 9 am on June 14 and 11 pm on August 30.

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