Stevie Mallan seals permanent Hibs exit as midfielder returns to Yeni Malatyaspor on two-year deal

Stevie Mallan has departed Hibs, signing a two-year deal with Turkish Süper Lig side Yeni Malatyaspor.

Stevie Mallan celebrates a goal against Brora Rangers during the 2020/21 League Cup group stages

The midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at the New Malatya Stadium, scoring twice and registering one assist in 17 matches including a goal on his debut.

YMS chairman Adil Gevrek was confident of the Scot’s return, all but confirming a deal had been done in an interview with Turkish sports newspaper Fotospor on Saturday.

Despite returning to Hibs for the start of pre-season and speaking earlier this summer about making an impact at Easter Road during the upcoming season, speculation that the former St Mirren man was set to return to Turkey gathered pace and when the 25-year-old was left out of the Hibs squads for the friendly matches against Arsenal and Raith Rovers, it suggested a deal had been struck between the two clubs.

Signed from Barnsley in the summer of 2018, Mallan impressed during his first season with the Capital club, scoring 13 and assisting 11 in 48 games, winning the player of the year award.

The following campaign saw Mallan lay on four goals for his team-mates while contributing three himself in 27 games, but a knee injury kept him out from the end of December 2019 until the following August.

Although he scored on his return to action in a 1-0 win at St Johnstone, competition for midfield places made it hard for Mallan to nail down a regular starting berth and despite three goals and two assists during the League Cup group stages, Mallan was in and out of the team and in January pushed for a loan deal to get regular games, sealing a loan move to Yeni Malatyaspor.

Mallan still had a year left on his Hibs contract so the Easter Road side will likely be due a fee from the Turkish club.

Mallan wrote on Twitter: “Delighted to be joining Yeni Malatyaspor for the next chapter in my career. Just want to say a big thank you to all the players, staff, and fans at Hibs for the past three years. Had some amazing memories and met even better people but now time for a new challenge.”

He leaves Hibs with a record of 20 goals and 17 assists in 95 games in green and white.

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