Ryan Porteous transfer latest: New club 'joins race' for Hibs defender

Another club has entered the race for Hibs defender Ryan Porteous, with Bologna keen to compete with Serie A rivals Udinese for his signature, according to reports in Italy.

The 23-year-old is out of contract in the summer at Easter Road and has told his boyhood club that he won’t sign a new deal. Chief executive Ben Kensell expects Porteous to leave the club this month so Hibs don’t lose him for nothing at the end of the season, and a host of clubs are said to be monitoring the situation.

French side Toulouse are said to be leading the race, according to The Scotsman, but there is interest from KV Oostende of Belgium and a host of teams in England. The player himself is understood to be keen on testing himself outwith the UK and since becoming a permanent fixture in the Easter Road first team, has been linked with clubs in Russia and Turkey.

According to Il Resto del Carlino, Bologna have been tracking Porteous for some time and could go head-to-head with Udinese for his services this month as Thiago Motta looks to bolster his squad for the second half of the season.

Ryan Porteous is a man in demand - and looks likely to leave Hibs before the end of the transfer window

I Rossoblù know the Scottish market well, having signed Lewis Ferguson from Aberdeen last summer, Hearts defender Aaron Hickey in September 2020, and were credited with an interest in Calvin Ramsay before his move to Liverpool and Josh Doig prior to his transfer to Hellas Verona. They also signed Uruguayan defender Joaquín Sosa, who was linked with Hibs in the summer.

Kensell addressed the club’s transfer position earlier this week, saying: “Ryan is likely to leave in this window. We’ve had nothing but positive conversations throughout; there are several options for him to choose from and we’re looking to strike the best deal possible for the club, whilst also keeping an eye on the best possible deal for Ryan. He’s been a fantastic servant for the club.

“We have to trim our squad, so we’re focused on outs. If there’s someone we can bring in that is better than what we have, and brings real quality to the squad, then we will do that, but it has to be quality over quantity.”