Why Riley Harbottle couldn't turn down Hibs move as defender speaks on Lee Johnson pitch

New Hibs signing Riley Harbottle has admitted he couldn’t turn down the chance to make a permanent move to Easter Road.

The 22-year-old centre-back put pen to paper on a three-year deal on Tuesday, becoming the Capital club’s seventh signing of the summer, as Lee Johnson looks to build on last season’s fifth-place finish.

Harbottle came through the ranks at Nottingham Forest but caught the eye last term during a loan spell with Mansfield Town in England’s League Two, where he worked under Nigel Clough, son of former Forest boss Brian.

Speaking to Sky Sports from the club’s Ormiston training base, Harbottle said: “When I got the information from my agent I thought it would be stupid not to jump at the chance to join Hibs. I spoke to a few people before coming up here – when you look at the size of the club, it’s just something you wouldn’t turn down. Everyone’s been brilliant with me, made me feel really welcome, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Riley Harbottle is eager to get a taste of European football. Picture: Craig Foy / SNS Group

Johnson described the new recruit as having ‘a lot of potential’, telling the club’s website: “He’s a talented young player who we believe we can develop, and he adds strength in depth for us at centre-back.”

Harbottle paid tribute to Johnson’s pitch in convincing him to move to Scotland, and revealed the opportunity to compete in European football was another big pull factor.

He continued: “The manager’s been brilliant. From the first conversation I had with him, he really sold the club to me. I know we’re ambitious and we’ve got a lot of goals we want to achieve this season.

“I’m a wholehearted player. If you look at my record last year I scored quite a few goals so I like to score goals, I’m aggressive in the box, and I’ll give everything for the club. The opportunity to play for Hibs is just one I couldn’t turn down and the chance to play European football really attracted me too. It’s really exciting; it’s something a lot of us aren’t used to. It’s going to be a challenge [getting to the group stages] but we’re definitely up for it.”