Josh Campbell 'keen to start testing the water' with Scotland after signing new Hibs deal

Hibs midfielder Josh Campbell has admitted he is hopeful of ‘testing the water with Scotland’ after signing a new long-term deal with the Easter Road side.

The 22-year-old extended his stay until the summer of 2027 with manager Lee Johnson suggesting the versatile player should be on the national team radar, given his eight goals and five assists in 29 matches so far this season.

Speaking after putting pen to paper on an improved deal, Campbell said: “Hibs means a lot to me, it always helps when you are a fan. The club has trusted me and I have put trust in them, so it’s a good connection that we’ve got.

“The club came forward and asked if I wanted to stay around a bit longer, and of course, it was easy for me to say yes – I feel like this is the best place for me to progress in my career.”

Josh Campbell is having an impressive season so far

Campbell made his senior debut for Hibs in a League Cup match against Stirling Albion in the summer of 2019 and has since made more than 60 appearances in green and white but this season could well be considered his breakout year.

“It has been a much better year for me, in comparison to last season,” he continued. “I am enjoying playing in a higher role on the pitch – I’ve got a good connection with Élie Youan and Kevin Nisbet and we all work well together. I feel the fans are beginning to see the best of me now, but there is no time to stop, it’s up to me to continue my form and get more goals and assists.

“I’ve always trusted my ability to score goals and being a threat. The gaffer always talks about it, and encourages me to get myself running into the box and winning those second balls.”

The boyhood Hibee has worked closely with the coaching staff and in the gym to sharpen his fitness, his technique, and his overall contribution and at the moment, is likely one of the first names on the team sheet.

Campbell won two caps for Scotland Under-21s last season

"We spoke a few months ago and set a few targets in terms of goals and assists. It is not just the gaffer; David Gray, Adam Owen and Jamie McAllister have all been really good with me. I’ve got a lot stronger in the gym too, I’ve lost a lot of body fat as well so I am a lot fitter and stronger than before.”

The next step for Campbell is forcing his way into Steve Clarke’s thoughts, with an international break just around the corner. The midfielder was capped twice at under-21 level and while Scotland are well stocked in the middle of the park, even having him in and around the squad could be beneficial for his progress.

“I hope that I can start testing the water with the Scotland national team. I got a good taste for it at under-21 level, now I am looking to try and make that next step,” Campbell explained. "In terms of Hibs, I just want to keep up the good performances and help the team finish as high as we can in the league. We had a patch earlier in the season when we were winning games, and feel we have now got that back.”