Hibs have settled on a shortlist of names to replace Shaun Maloney with former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson in the mix.
He joins Michael Appleton and Karl Robinson in a small handful of names identified by Ben Kensell and Ian Gordon.
Hibs have been looking for a new boss since parting with Maloney in December.
Johnson held successful talks with Kensell and Gordon in London earlier this month.
He has now been put forward to the final shortlist and now he has to convince chairman Ian Gordon and other board members that he is the outstanding candidate.
Gordon and the Hibs hierarchy are scheduled to hold all their final interviews this week and then be in a position to name their new manager.
Johnston is no stranger to Scotland as he had two spells up here as a player, ironically, with city rivals Hearts and Kilmarnock.
The 40-year-old, whose long-term No. 2 is Scot Jamie McAllister, has also had spells in charge at Oldham Athletic and Barnsley.
Appleton was interviewed for the Hibs’ job before Jack Ross but he pulled out of the running.
He quit Lincoln after three seasons this summer.
Appleton has also had spells at the helm of Blackpool, Blackburn and Leicester City.
The Hibs board met several high profile candidates including Paul Clement and Phillip Cocu, but they won’t be in the final shake-up.
Meanwhile, Hibs have agreed a pre-contract with Scotland keeper David Marshall.
The deal was agreed by former boss Shaun Maloney before he was shown the Easter Road door.
Maloney and Marshall were close from their their time with Celtic and Scotland but they won’t get the chance to work together.
Marshall’s Derby County contract is due to expire in the summer and then he head to the capital to become one of the new Hibs manager's summer signings.
He was deemed surplus to requirements at Derby and spent the second half of the season at Queen’s Park Rangers.
