Martin Boyle and the contract conundrum facing Hibs and player

Martin Boyle is arguably Hibs’ most important asset, but with just 12 months remaining on his contract, both club and player face a conundrum

Martin Boyle: big player, even bigger character

A four-day bender after the 2016 Scottish Cup final, blistering pace, and an eye for goal.

In Martin Boyle, Hibs have a big character - and an even bigger player.

Eyebrows were raised when the little-known attacker – nicknamed Squirrel – arrived at Easter Road in January 2015 from Dundee, part of a loan swap deal as Alex Harris headed to Dens Park.

Boyle has a shot on goal during a Scottish Premiership match against Ross County

Boyle signed permanently for Hibs that summer and five years on has become one of the club’s most potent attacking threats, as well as a key figure in the dressing room. His career trajectory from raw youngster to established forward with international caps has dovetailed with Hibs’ own revival.

It's not a stretch to suggest that neither rise would have happened without the other. So with Boyle entering the final 12 months of his contract, and the winger giving nothing away in a recent interview about his future, what now for the 27-year-old?

The McGinn model

You would have been hard-pushed to find a single Hibs fan who begrudged John McGinn his move to Aston Villa in the latter days of the 2018 summer transfer window.

The popular midfielder had been the subject of interest from clubs long before his eventual departure from Easter Road but he got his head down (and stuck his bum out) and helped drive Hibs to fourth place in the club’s first season back in the top flight.

Less than a week before joining Villa, McGinn had dragged Hibs over the finish line in Greece as they battled to a 1-1 draw with Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League second qualifying round to secure a 4-3 aggregate victory. He went with the best wishes of the Hibs faithful and has impressed in his debut season in the English Premier League this campaign, sparking rumours of multi-million pound bids from Manchester United and, more recently, Newcastle United.

Boyle could follow a similar route to his former team-mate. Huddersfield Town and Stoke City have both been linked with the winger, although the latter reportedly baulked at the £1 million asking price. Both clubs will be playing Championship football next season and will be hoping to push for promotion.

The Hibs number ten is something of a late bloomer with regards his career. With a young family – daughter Amelia was born in September 2018 – Boyle has a chance to set himself up for life with a move to England’s second tier and, potentially, the Premier League

The Asian route

Boyle’s rapid rise onto the international scene with Australia, the country of his father's birth, has made him a visible figure within the Asian Football Confederation.

There is plenty of money in the A-League, while several European-based players have been tempted by lucrative packages to play in China.

However, Boyle may favour remaining closer to home given the young age of his daughter and wife Rachael’s own footballing career. The Scotland international currently plays for Hibernian Women after leaving Aberdeen in the summer of 2016 and the family may not want to make such a significant move at this early stage.

Move elsewhere in Scotland

Hibs fans might be less happy to see Boyle leave the club but remain in Scotland and with Celtic credited with an interest in January this year, that could be a potential outcome.

Neil Lennon, who managed Boyle during his time as Easter Road head coach, is a fan of the winger - although he dismissed the link as “complete speculation”.

However, there is no doubt Lennon likes Boyle and he would be attractive, and reasonably cheap, option to challenge James Forrest on the right flank.

Run down his contract at Hibs

It’s not unthinkable that Boyle could remain at Easter Road until the end of his deal, although it’s hard to see the Capital club being happy to lose such a valuable asset for nothing.

Boyle’s stock has never been higher. His return to action in the latter days of Paul Heckingbottom’s tenure as Hibs boss revitalised the team and led to an upturn in form and results, while he hit doubles in wins against Aberdeen and Hearts towards the end of 2019 after the arrival of new head coach Jack Ross.

He was arguably Hibs’ best player before the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, he has international experience, and the seven-figure fee mentioned when Stoke were interested is a fair representation of his talents and importance to Hibs. Given the financial implications of the Covid-19 crisis, that amount of money would be a huge boost to Hibs’ coffers.

Sign a new deal with Hibs

Boyle was coy about his future when speaking to Sky Sports earlier this week, implying that his agent was taking care of any discussions over his next career move and casting doubt over the chance of him remaining at Easter Road.

However, that outcome can’t be dismissed out of hand.

Boyle is a popular figure in the dressing room and with the staff, and he clearly enjoys being at Hibs. He has vowed to continue “giving everything for the club” and “hopefully keep putting performances in”.

The winger has insisted that Hibs should be targeting a Europa League place this season – so he might want to stick around and help the club achieve that goal.

Weighing up the pros and cons

Boyle’s future could also hinge on how Hibs perform this season. If things are going well and the club are near the top of the pile, he might be minded to sign a new deal, which would almost certainly net the club more money for him when he does move on and, depending on how Hibs fare this term, he could get another shot at Europe next summer and leave on a high, a la McGinn.

But there are risks involved for the player whether he stays, leaves, or signs a new deal. The grass isn’t always greener and Boyle – who has suffered two serious knee injuries in his career – has been around for long enough to see former team-mates experience both ends of the spectrum after moving on.

A total of 34 goals and 36 assists in 188 games for Hibs is testament to the player’s drive and motivation, as well as the club’s approach to recruiting raw talent and turning them into saleable assets.

Hibs are fortunate in that they have at least two players capable of replacing Boyle on the right flank in Daryl Horgan and summer acquisition Drey Wright, but replacing his mischievous streak off the pitch and his searing pace on it could be a bigger ask.

Whether Boyle stays on for longer, or leaves before the end of the transfer window, he remains one of the best bits of business the club has done in recent years.

Few fans would begrudge him a shot at the big time.