Hibs RETAIN star attacker despite Blackburn and Stoke bids as Deadline Day strategy outlined

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
After busy summer, will Manneh be ONLY January arrival at East Mains?

Elie Youan will REMAIN a Hibs player after bids by Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City were knocked back ahead of tonight’s transfer deadline. And David Gray has decided against making more signings for the sake of adding bodies halfway through a season that will end with 15 players out of contract.

While Hibs are likely to offload a couple of fringe players before the 11 pm cut-off point on the January window, it is understood that there will be no major business done before the mid-season market is closed. The Easter Road outfit have made just one signing during the month-long registration window, bringing in former Barcelona prospect Alasana Manneh from Odense Boldklub.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gray has consistently stressed a quality-over-quantity approach when it comes to doing business in a market often typified by panic buy, talking often about making an “X Factor signing” as he insisted: "You don't want to just bring players to the football club that don't improve the squad. I don't think anybody would ever bring a player to a club anyway where intention is not to try and make you better. “

He was also wary of making major changes mid-season for a couple of reasons. First, the form of the team has convinced him that he would only consider adding players capable of delivering an immediate and serious impact on performances. In a difficult market where everyone is looking for the same thing, and despite the best efforts of new head of recruitment Garvan Stewart, the right deal just never came up.

Gray is also wary of being bounced into a short-term move when he’s already facing up to a major overhaul in the summer, with the number of out-of-contract players including some influential first-team faces. With so much upheaval to come, the first-year manager – backed to the tune of a DOZEN new signings last summer - decided against imposing more change on the group.

News that Youan is to remain may come as a surprise, given the interest of both Stoke and Blackburn, with Gray having braced himself for the loss of a key attacker. He was ready to move for a replacement in the event of the Frenchman moving on for a likely seven-figure fee.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the gaffer has made it clear that he wants to keep working with Youan, currently recovering from a toe injury. And he’ll be looking for the same reaction that saw the 25-year-old bounce back from failing to land a big move in the summer, Gray saying last week: "That's the thing with the window. You get to the point then when you think something is going to happen or potential to happen - and if it doesn't there's nothing that can be done until the window opens again. Some players will have disappointment initially, some players might struggle with that for a week, ten days, whatever it is.

"Every player reacts differently in different situations, but the reality of the situation is their focus has to turn to being the best they can be for the club they play for. Because that's what gives them the opportunity.

“If they do want to go on to bigger and better things then you need to perform on the pitch. You need to keep doing that, but you also need your teammates to help you do that. You need everyone to be pulling with you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If a team is successful on the pitch there's always going to be individuals that are doing well within that. When the window closes, there's nothing you can do until the window reopens - and you want to give yourself the best opportunity by playing to the best of your ability.

“Elie was a very easy one to bring back around and it didn't take long for him to get his head right where it needed to be because he's a driven boy who loves playing football every single day. That's where he's at his happiest, you see him at his best.”

News you can trust since 1873
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice