New No.1 priority in Hibs transfer search as club seek 10th signing of summer

Hibs will make a new centre-back their No.1 priority in the transfer market as boss Lee Johnson seeks to put the finishing touches on his squad ahead of next season.

Nine players in total have been signed by the Easter Road club this summer, including two loanees moving on permanent deals and seven new faces.

The latest of which was striker Elie Youan, who arrives on loan from St Gallen with an option to buy at the end of the season. The French joins Jair Tavares, Momodou Bojang, Aiden McGeady and Ewan Henderson in bolstering the attacking corps.

The Evening News understands the manager and recruitment staff will now be turning their attention to finding a new central defender.

Hibs manager Lee Johnson is looking to bring in some additional defensive cover. Picture: SNS

Rocky Bushiri has joined on a three-year deal after last year’s loan spell from Norwich City, though the departures of Harry Clarke and Paul McGinn have left them a little light on defensive cover.

There’s also speculation as to the future of Josh Doig, who has been linked with interest in Italy, and Ryan Porteous. The boyhood Hibs fan is entering the final year of his contract and is another who has been attracting interest on the continent.

Darren McGregor has moved on to working for the club’s development team, where he’ll be a player/coach, robbing Hibs of some veteran cover they’ve been able to call upon in recent seasons.

Johnson is looking to improve the team as he seeks to reverse the fortunes of last season where Hibs finished a disappointing eighth in the cinch Premiership table.

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