Lee Johnson to meet with City Football Group chiefs as Hibs boss plots summer transfer moves

Hibs manager Lee Johnson will hold a key recruitment meeting this week as he plots the club’s summer transfer activity.

The Easter Road boss will sit down with senior members of the City Football Group to discuss potential loan signings. Ukrainian striker Mykola Kukharevych signed on loan from Troyes, who are part of the Manchester-based conglomerate, while Johnson enjoys a close relationship with Brian Marwood, the group’s Managing Director of Global Football.

It was revealed in January that Hibs had been frustrated in their attempts to add quality to their squad for the second half of the season because players and agents were rejecting the chance to play in Scotland – and Johnson believes the Scottish game needs to be promoted better to limit the ‘snobbery’ south of the Border.

“I think there's a bit of snobbery down there, not from people who have experienced it like ex-players or former managers or coaches, but it is a goldfish bowl up here and news doesn't travel well down south because there are a lot of clubs and a lot of local clubs, so it stays very local down there,” he explained.

Lee Johnson is due to meet with representatives from the City Football Group ahead of the summer transfer window

"But as a country, Scotland needs to start competing better. That's why it was a fantastic result against Spain. I obviously enjoyed seeing Ryan Porteous playing well and David Marshall making his TV debut as well. Moments like that are key. The Scottish game needs to be more respected because I think agents worry it will decrease, rather than increase, the value of players so often they have quite a pull on where the players go.

"Some clubs love it. The City Football Group is a good example; I'm having a conversation with them about their top players who we could potentially loan – and it's great for them because they get to experience the Champions League-type games but also the pressure of having to pummel somebody at home because the expectation is there.

"I really like it [in Scotland]. I like the way of working, and that there are fewer games which means you can coach more; I like the fact there are good academies and. good games programmes. I just feel that somehow they've lost a bit of exposure compared to maybe 15 years ago when I played here."