Martin Boyle will fly out to Qatar in a bid to make Australia's World Cup camp as Hibs provide an update on the winger and striker Kevin Nisbet.
The Socceroos star is desperate to make the tournament later this month but a knee injury in a recent match with St Mirren threatens that place. Australia's squad hasn't been announced but manager Lee Johnson has confirmed he IS flying to Qatar, but initially for checks on whether he'll be fit for any of the winter tournament.
Neither he nor Nisbet - who hasn't played this term due to a serious knee issue - won't play this week against Ross County or Kilmarnock but one will get assessed in the middle east and another could be back in December. Johnson told Hibs TV : " Martin Boyle is unfortunately not available for the next couple of games for Hibs. He will stay with us here before flying off to meet the Australian medical team, at the Aspire unit in Qatar.
"That is a great medical facility where they will monitor him before making a decision if he is fit enough for the World Cup. He is in a good place, it was a best-case scenario in terms of the initial prognoses from the scan results. I know he has found that difficult at times but he is a very positive and professional character.
"He has two hats on at the moment - one Hibs and one Australia. From a personal level, of course, we all want him to go to the World Cup, but he has got to be right and we need to protect his medium-long-term future as well.
"Kevin Nisbet is close, to be honest, he could've been available for a 20 minute spell or so (vs Aberdeen) But myself, the coaching staff and the medical team believe it's better for him to elongate that period of rest.
"Given the fact that we are only two games away from the break, with one of those games on astroturf, we thought it would be better to give him that extra time to recover.
"He isn't having a break over the World Cup, he will be training during the whole duration - working on his fitness and different elements of his game. It will be great to have him back after the break when he is fully fit and flying - he will be like a new signing for us."
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