The Hibs players who will look to benefit from more game time next season

Jamie Gullan and Fraser Murray will be among those looking to nail down a first team place at Hibs next season. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

While Hibs remain hopeful of adding to their squad this summer, the financial situation at the club in the wake of coronavirus is likely to impact on the number of new recruits that Jack Ross can bring to Easter Road.

The head coach would have hoped to use the summer transfer window to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Paul Heckingbottom last November, but with club revenues set to be halved, he may now need to rely more heavily on those players already on the books.

And that could be good news for those who are either looking to make the first team breakthrough at Easter Road, or who may have struggled for game time last season for one reason or another.

Here are the players who may be hoping to benefit most from the current situation.

Fraser Murray

It has been four years since the young midfielder scored on his senior debut in an Irn-Bru Cup tie with Turriff United, but his progress since then has been stifled somewhat by injury.

Having battled back from a niggling groin issue that kept him sidelined for the best part of a year, the 21-year-old got himself onto the fringes of the first team last season, making 13 appearances from the subs bench, when Covid-19 struck. Dundee tried to sign him on loan in January but the move fell through.

The club clearly believe in his potential, having tied him down until 2023, and he has been well liked by all his previous managers, with Neil Lennon, Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Ross all speaking highly of him.

He is a technical midfielder, playing mainly off the strikers, with a keen eye for goal, as testified by four first team goals in just six starts. The forthcoming season was always going to be one where Murray would be looking to break into the starting line-up.

Tom James

Arrived from Yeovil last summer for an undisclosed fee and looked likely to be first choice right-back under Heckingbottom until picking up an ankle injury on the opening day of the season. It kept him sidelined for several weeks but since returning to fitness he has struggled to make an impact, barely featuring under Jack Ross.

A cultured full-back who likes to get forward, he has perhaps found the defensive side of the Scottish top flight more difficult to adapt to but will be all the better equipped for having a year under his belt.

Should the squad be lighter in numbers then the Welshman's versatility will stand him in good stead. Although he is primarily a full-back, he can also play further forward on the right-side of midfield. He has also featured at left back.

David Gray

The club captain - and Scottish Cup legend - has been ravaged by injuries in recent years. Last season was effectively a write-off for the full-back having managed only six appearances. He had only just returned from another injury lay-off when he damaged knee ligaments in August.

That kept him sidelined until January, but the 32-year-old struggled to reclaim his place following his recovery, making just two more starts, and wasn't even listed among the substitutes for a run of eight games, until the last match before the shutdown at Pittodrie.

Lockdown will have allowed Gray some time to work on his fitness while taking stock of his situation. A hero in the eyes of fans, they are willing him to get back to his best, and he will be keen to show that he can reach those heights again when the new season gets underway.

Kevin Dabrowksi

The towering Polish goalkeeper, who stands at 6ft 5in tall, has yet to feature for Hibs first team since joining the club in July 2017. He picked up valuable experience on loan at Cowdenbeath last season, making 16 appearances until picking up a knee injury in December, which caused him to lose his place before being recalled by Hibs in February.

The departure of Adam Bodgan could see the 22-year-old installed as the club's second choice stopper behind Ofir Marciano in the coming campaign. Part of the development side that scooped a league and cup double, the former Poland Under-18 cap has also featured as unused sub in 15 first-team matches. With Marciano entering the final year of his contract, Dabrowski will be looking to make his mark this season.

Jamie Gullan

There are high hopes for the young forward who was just beginning to make the first team breakthrough when coronavirus struck. After returning from a successful second loan spell at Raith, scoring nine in 18 games, Gullan opened his account for Hibs in the Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Inverness then made his first start in the 3-1 defeat in Aberdeen in March.

A first Scotland U21 call-up was the icing on the cake and he was left frustrated with the timing of the shutdown. Quick, strong, and with a powerful shot – they don’t call him ‘Hammer’ for nothing – Gullan has the attributes to play in the Premiership, and will be looking to strike up a partnership with main striker Chris Doidge.

With age on his side – he turns 21 next month – another thing working in Gullan's favour is his versatility as he is equally comfortable playing as a centre-forward, out wide, or in the number 10 role just off the front. He has a big season ahead of him.

Sean Mackie

A player Jack Ross will be keen to take a closer look at having not yet had a chance to work with him. Mackie was already on loan at Dundee when the head coach arrived in November, featuring regularly at both left back and left midfield for the Dens Park side until suffering a serious knee injury in January that he is still recovering from, although it is hoped he will be fit for the start of the season.

The 21-year-old has shown promise in his 16 first team appearances for Hibs but has still to iron out the inconsistencies that come with youth. The Scotland U21 cap will have gained valuable experience working under former Hibs defender James McPake at Dundee and will now be looking to challenge Lewis Stevenson for the left back slot next term. The youngster’s versatility - he can also play left midfield and left wingback - makes him an attractive option.

Josh Doig

The 18-year-old – who is equally comfortable at centre-back or left-back – has made a big impression on the staff at Hibs since joining the club last summer. So much so that he penned a new contract until 2023 in January before moving on loan to Queen's Park, where he earned rave reviews for his performances in League Two, twice making appearances in the SPFL Team of the Week.

Doig also earned his first international call-ups last season, featuring in a tournament in Istanbul with Billy Stark's Under 18 squad.

While he may still be in the development phase of his career, with money tight, this will likely be a season where youngsters are given a greater opportunity and Doig is one who could make a breakthrough.