Hibs striker hunt latest as former loan star added to list - with clock ticking ahead of SPFL kick-off


Hibs have put Ukrainian striker Mykola Kukharevych on a long list of centre forward targets, as David Gray looks to add much-needed firepower to his squad. And sporting director Malky Mackay is working hard to bring in a new frontman BEFORE Sunday’s Scottish Premiership opener away to St Mirren.
Kukharevych spent an injury-affected loan spell at Hibs in season 2022-23, bagging five goals in just ten starts for the Easter Road outfit. Gray, who was part of Lee Johnson’s backroom staff at the time, was impressed by the Troyes target man’s hard running and eye for goal.
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Hide AdStanding just shy of 6’ 4” in his stocking feet, the mobile and direct 23-year-old has fully recovered from the medial ligament injury that kept him on the sidelines for four months of his season with Hibs. But, despite getting a big build-up when he signed for Swansea last summer, he didn’t make a single start for the Championship side – and has scored just once, in a 3-0 away win over Millwall.
The Evening News understands that Kukharevych is one of several targets being monitored as Mackay looks to grant Gray his wish of having a new striker on the books ahead of this weekend’s big SPFL kick-off, with Hibs travelling to Paisley looking seriously understrength at the top end of the park. Dylan Vente is the only senior out-and-out striker on the books at present – and the Dutchman is clearly struggling for confidence.
Gray has spoken openly about needing a player in the mould of Simon Murray, who chose Dundee over Hibs for family reasons when he left Ross County earlier this summer. Kukharevych is likely to be made available by Swansea, opening up the possibility of another loan move, although a number of other clubs are also reportedly interested.
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Hide AdSpeaking at the weekend, Gray underlined his need for a new face up front – while admitting that he might need to be patient, pointing out: “Obviously, I'd rather have done it three to four weeks ago; we always want to do it as quickly as we can because the earlier you can get working with the players, the better. But we also know it needs to be the right person.
“Would I like someone in before the weekend to give us strength and depth? One hundred per cent - but it's not as simple as that.”