Hibs boss Lee Johnson has suggested that he could dip into the free agent market after failing to replace the late departure of star defender Ryan Porteous.
Porteous came through the ranks at Hibs after joining the club as a 12-year-old, making over 150 appearances for his boyhood club and boosted his profile by adding nine appearances in European competitions to his scrapbook and earning his first Scotland cap in September 2022. However, with his stock rising at Easter Road, it became apparent earlier in the season that he was set to run his contract down in the capital city. Hibs subsequently sold him to the Hornets for a reported fee in the region of £500,000 with a week to go in the window in order to reinvest in the playing squad.
But that reinvestment didn't happen at centre-back. Instead, the Hibees only signed James Jeggo on a permanent deal in the window, whilst CJ Egan-Riley joined on loan from Burnley and Matthew Hoppe arrived on deadline day in a temporary deal from Middlesbrough.
READ MORE: Three things we learned as Hibs draw deadline day Dingwall ding-dong with Kevin Nisbet injury blow
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Only Egan-Riley is adept at playing at centre-back from those options, though the Claret loanee has only featured at right-back and central midfield for Vincent Kompany's men this season - leaving Hibs short at the back. And with the window shutting on Tuesday evening, that has left Johnson with a dilemma - which he claims he may well solve by dipping into the market for those currently without a club.
"I think probably, but I don’t know," he said after the draw to Ross County yesterday evening. "There’s also the out-of-contract market but I haven’t spoken to Ben [Kensell, chief executive] or anybody else at this point.”
Hibs currently sit fifth in the Scottish Premiership, eight points behind bitter rivals Hearts having played a game more after a score draw in Dingwall last night.
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