Kevin Nisbet is set to leave Hibs in the next 24 hours after they agreed a fee with Millwall.
The London club saw an initial offer of £1 million booted out by the Hibees, but returned with an improved bid which has now been accepted. The Championship outfit will make Nisbet their record signing in a deal Record Sport understands will be worth up to £2.5million, which includes performance-based add-ons. Nisbet will undergo a rigorous medical and personal terms are still to be agreed, but the deal could be done as early as Thursday. 30% of the up front fee will go to Nisbet’s previous club Dunfermline.
The Hibees are also set to lose Ryan Porteous, who is closing in on a switch to Millwall’s league rivals Watford. The defender told Hibs before Christmas that he wouldn’t be signing a new contract with his boyhood club, so the Easter Road outfit will cash in this month.
It means Lee Johnson could be without a key duo for Saturday’s showdown with Aberdeen. Already dubbed ‘El Sackio’ by fans, Johnson goes up against fellow under pressure boss Jim Goodwin.
The Pittodrie gaffer was expected to be sacked after Monday night’s humiliating Scottish Cup exit against Darvel, which came off the back of a 5-0 drubbing to Hearts at Tynecastle. The Jambos then inflicted a 3-0 defeat on their city rivals to set up a crunch clash between the Hibees and dismal Dons this weekend.
Reds chairman Dave Cormack gave Goodwin a stay of execution on Monday evening, but it was left unsaid in his statement what defeat in Leith would mean for his manager. Johnson is also under the spotlight and another home defeat could spell the end of his Easter Road reign.
His priority has been trimming his squad during the January window. But fans will now demand that the Nisbet money is reinvested in a replacement for the striker, and teammate Porteous.
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