Inside Owen Elding's rise to Hibs as exciting prediction cast amid red tape delaying international step up

Owen Elding’s former manager insists Hibs have signed a striker with international level potential - if he can get over red tape issues with his passport.

The striker was brought to Hibs in the winter transfer window from the Showgrounds, after a breakthrough League of Ireland campaign, as Hibs sought a Kieron Bowie replacement. Born in England but raised in the Republic of Ireland, Elding came through the Sligo academy, where boss John Russell has been since 2018 in a coaching capacity. Russell had multiple stints there as a player and was appointed boss in 2022, overseeing Elding’s full transition into the senior game. Elding has netted three times in eight games for Hibs, and having watched him score 16 goals in his final season at Sligo, Russell knew the striker was ready for his next step.

Part of that would include a call up to the Irish national team set-up, under-21s duty alluding him amid a continued wait for a passport. More red tape surfaced as a recent citizenship ceremony fell by the wayside and with recent examples of Declan Rice and Jack Grealish choosing England over Ireland, Russell is keen to see it sorted sooner rather than later. The 20-year-old forward was back home last week amid some time off for Hibs ahead of their post-split Premiership games.

Why can’t Owen Elding play for Republic of Ireland?

”It's been a long road, he’s always been in for assessments, with the underage teams,” Russell told the Evening News. “I think there was a big push for him to get into the under-21s squad over the last year when he was doing well with us. They've been waiting on his citizenship and just getting his passport. I think there's been a few cancellations and, yeah, timing with the fuel protests just recently has kicked it to the summer time as far as I'm aware. It's maybe June now. He's just got to be patient and just keep doing what he's doing on the pitch.

“You would have thought he’d be pushed through a lot quicker because, for us as a country, you want to try and get the best young talent into the national teams. I'm not sure really what's going on in the background but it's unfortunate he's been waiting this long. I think you look at, not so long ago, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish. They were in all the underage teams and then Declan Rice, played three friendlies I think it was, and you see they end up going to England. So, there's always a risk with the likes of Owen as well, I suppose. I know he's keen and he's said it all along, he wants to play for Ireland. The quicker it gets done, the better, for everyone.”

It wasn’t just Hibs that were in for him in the winter, but they were best placed to pounce, after Bowie’s record breaking exit to Hellas Verona opened up the door to signing a physical forward with an eye for goal. Russell worked with Elding from childhood and nurtured him into first team life, where even after a slow start, he was confident a firework was ready to go off. Once it did, Sligo’s then-teenage forward exploded into life.

“I was a development officer for the Football Association of Ireland back in 2014 while I was still playing full-time at Sligo Rovers,” explained Russell. “I would have come across Owen back then as a young kid in primary school and he would have been in the emerging talent programme. I've known Owen since he was a kid and obviously then he came into the academy. I became first team manager in 2022 and he was in and around the group since 2023. I gave him his debut.

What is Owen Elding’s potential?

“I think the first thing that stands out is his finishing ability. That was always top class, the way he strikes the ball. You just know it's different and I think all the way up through the underage system he scored goals. Then the other one I'd say is his movement. That was two things that stood out for me watching him as a young player. Then once you make that step up from academy football to the first team, it's the speed of play, the physicality of the players you're coming up against. It's a little bit harder and I think that was probably frustrating for Owen because he was in and around us for 18 months. I'm a big believer in being patient with young players and dipping them in and out.

“Obviously they want it straight away, but for Owen, he didn't score for maybe 20 games and he was coming in off the bench. He had one or two starts, but one thing that you knew was going to come once he got his first goal, was that he was going to take off. He really worked hard building his body up physically in the off-season. When he came back for pre-season in the 2025 season, I just knew that this kid's going to catch fire, and he did. He scored in the first game of the season and he got Young Player of the Year, Team of the Year. I think there's more levels to come now.”

Russell will be tuning into Elding’s Edinburgh derby baptism of fire this weekend at Easter Road versus Hearts. Hibs are seeking a key win in their hunt for Europe while damaging Hearts’ bid for the title will be an added bonus. It’s the type of stage that the Sligo gaffer is happy to see one of the club’s finest products in recent years perform on, and with Bowie’s sale in mind, he predicts Hibs have another money-making striker on their hands.

“He was over for a game last weekend, had a bit of time off so I caught up with him and he's done really well so far,” added Russell. “I think the people who've been around Owen for the last while have been delighted to see him start so quickly and hit the ground running. It'll be all eyes on Sunday now. If he ever manages to get that passport he'll definitely be a future international!

“Where he can go? I think he's got the mentality to keep going up the levels. He's hungry, his attitude is top class and as I said even from a young age his finishing and his movement and everyone wants centre forwards who score goals. The beauty for Owen is his physical profile, he can play through the middle and off the sides, and he's got a brilliant work ethic. I think he's at a really good club now. I think if he does well at Hibs, I'm sure they'll sell him for a bigger fee. I think it was a £7m deal they sold Kieron Bowie to Hellas Verona for? Hibs are probably looking at Owen already in a short space of time thinking we've got a really good player here that we can develop and sell on again. I think he's got a really high ceiling.”