Shaun Maloney speaks on Ryan Porteous situation as Hibs boss reveals discussions with defender

Shaun Maloney has held talks with Hibs defender Ryan Porteous in the wake of the defender’s alleged involvement in two off-field incidents.

The 22-year-old was seemingly captured on CCTV outside a house in Dalkeith with a group of men, one of whom stole a wreath from the front door before later returning it, and is at the centre of a investigation after a woman was allegedly injured at a miners club in Midlothian.

Police Scotland have launched a probe into the latter incident, said to have occurred last weekend in the wake of Hibs’ 2-0 victory over Ross County on Saturday February 19.

Eyewitnesses told of a melee in the street outside Dalkeith Miners' Club, situated on the town’s Woodburn Road, with the footballer supposedly subjected to verbal abuse during the fracas.

Hibs defender Ryan Porteous

Hibs manager Shaun Maloney gave his thoughts on the situation as he previewed the Easter Road side’s Scottish Premiership meeting with his former club Celtic on Sunday.

Insisting that he wasn’t able to say much on the incidents, Maloney told Sky Sports that the Scotland Under-21 internationalist would be an option for this weekend's league encounter.

"He’ll be available for the Celtic game. I’ve had a lot of conversations with Ryan in the last couple of days,” Maloney added.

"It’s difficult for me to say too much but he’s aware of the responsibilities he has, and how he has to behave on and off the pitch.

"That’s about as much as I can say on the matter.”

Porteous has played 31 times for Hibs in all competitions this season, scoring twice and registering two assists.

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