Hibs have confirmed the departure of Scotland international Ryan Porteous to Watford for a 'significant six-figure sum' with just four days left in the January transfer window.
Porteous, who joined Hibs' youth academy aged 11, slipped into the first-team picture at the start of the 2018-19 season, and has since made 120 Scottish Premiership appearances for the Leith-based outfit, scoring 11 goals in the process. Becoming one of Scotland's best young defenders alongside the likes of Nathan Patterson and Aaron Hickey, it became apparent over the World Cup break that the Edinburgh-born star was to leave Hibs with his contract expiring at the end of the season - with the club forced to take a cut-price fee for his services in the current window in order to reinvest.
After links to clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and more, it has been Championship side Watford who have won the race for the one-time Scotland cap, in a fee which Record Sport understands to be in the region of £600,000 and a sell-on clause. Hornets boss Slaven Bilic confirmed earlier on Friday that the deal taking Porteous to Vicarage Road had been completed, and that has now become a formality with the Hibee set to depart for pastures new with promotion to the Premier League the target in Hertfordshire.
