Hibs transfer news: David Gray reveals free agent priorities as boss makes 'moved on' claim over former target
Dwight Gayle ideal example as Easter Road club quash talk of Steven Fletcher return
Hibs boss David Gray admits he would love to land another Dwight Gayle in the free agent market. But he insists he’s “moved on” from the club’s failure to secure Lyndon Dykes on Deadline Day – and won’t be bringing in a body just to fill a hole in the squad.
Despite reports linking the Easter Road club with a move for former favourite Steven Fletcher, with the ex-Scotland striker now out of contract and seeking a new opportunity since leaving Wrexham in the summer, Hibs are NOT interested in the 38-year-old. They ARE still in the market for a striker – and Gray says they’ll always be “proactive” about strengthening the squad.
Premier League veteran Gayle helped climb up Scottish Premiership
Veteran goal scorer Gayle was signed as a free agent almost exactly a year ago now, with the former Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and West Brom striker making a major contribution as Hibs climbed from the foot of the Scottish Premiership to finish third in the table and qualify for a crack at European football. Gray sees that as a model to follow as Hibs look to reinforce their forward corps.
"Definitely,” he said, adding: “The job of the recruitment department is to make sure you're aware of everyone's situation all the time. We've got databases and resources to find out all this information, and it is a case of being across it all the time.
"Dwight Gayle was a brilliant example of that last season, and different windows close at different times, so you have to be across everything and be as proactive as you can. We've got players in the building at the moment who are doing really well, but we have to be proactive.
Recruitment ‘never stops’ as options explored
"The job for the recruitment department never stops. I say that all the time. It's always at the front of everyone's mind when the window's open because something can actually happen, but the job never stops.
"While the window's closed now, it is free agents who are available. Something could happen that makes us have to react, so it's good to be proactive. It's about being across everyone's situation, seeing who's available, and what that looks like, and that work never stops.
"The Lyndon Dykes one was very well documented. It wasn't a case of: ‘If we don't do that one, we need to do this player, or that player.'
"It's very much about bringing in the right type of player who we think fits the group and adds value to what we've currently got. That one did not happen, and I think we just move on from it.
“My job is to work with the players who are here and make them better all the time. And if there's something in the free agent market that adds to what we've got, then we might look to do that as well."
Kieron Bowie and Martin Boyle are established as Gray’s first-choice striker pairing. Record signing Thibault Klidje, a £1.5 million acquisition earlier in the summer, is more than just a back-up, while Elie Youan remains a useful option – and Hibs will only add to that group IF the right candidate emerges.
Former club captain Gray added: "Before you know it, we'll be sitting talking about the January transfer window. The work never stops.
“Everyone takes a bit of a breather when the window shuts, but the recruitment department does the opposite. Now they're full-scale looking at potential options and what we need or what we feel we might need and being proactive about it when it comes our way."