Hibs have entered the race to sign Ronan Curtis from Portsmouth - but the Easter Road side face a serious battle for the Ireland international.
The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract at Fratton Park and Pompey are willing to sell for £500,000.
But there’s also interest from Championship trio Preston, Blackburn and Cardiff City as well as an unnamed Ligue 1 club in France.
Lee Johnson is keen on the wide man though and knows he would bring pace and goal threat to the Hibs forward line and a source close to the player said he would seriously consider a move north of the border.
Johnson knows Curtis, who joined Pompey from Derry City in 2018, from his spells managing at Sunderland and Bristol City.
The 6ft forward can play through the middle as well as on either wing but is naturally suited a wide left position.
Curtis has netted 50 times in 189 games for Pompey where he has become a firm favourite with the support.
Ten of those goals came last season but Curtis believes if he is to progress his career then he needs to move away from the League 1 club.
Curtis has seven caps for Ireland, where he has played alongside former Hibs winger Daryl Horgan, the last of which came a year ago this month, playing 66 minutes of a 4-1 friendly win over Andorra.
Johnson has already made five signings since taking over at Easter Road last month.
Goalkeeper David Marshall, right-back Lewis Miller and central defenders Nohan Kenneh and Rocky Bushiri have all arrived on permanent deals while forward Momodou Bojang has been signed on loan from Rainbow FC in Gambia.
