Why Doig transfer means more than just cash for Hibs

But Nick Montgomery confessed it's a little too early to be picking up the phone to his superiors about being quids in if and when Josh Doig leaves Hellas Verona. With the former academy graduate seemingly bound for pastures new, Hibs would bank a significant sum thanks to a sell-on clause that would see 27.5 per cent of any profit find its way back to Easter Road once a deal is completed.

Doig has been linked with a long line of clubs, including Rangers, and it appeared Ligue 1 side Marseille were set to win the race for his signature with a £4.3 million offer that could've earned Hibs around £1m all-in. But that deal has reportedly through, with Verona's Serie A rivals Sassuolo now thought to be in the mix and the French side appearing to have moved on to other targets.

A grinning Montgomery suggested that, should Doig get his move before the deadline, he wouldn't be long in ringing head of recruitment Ian Gordon to see if any of the sell-on cash could perhaps find its way into his transfer fund moving forward, even if it lands too late to make a difference this month.

"Yes, I heard about that yesterday actually," Montgomery said of the potential windfall. "It’s hard for me to comment on anything like that until it actually happens. I’ll be speaking with Brian McDermott this week and Ian Gordon and they are hopeful it will go through.

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"I don’t know if that will change a lot in this window. I know the club did invest in the off-season in the signings they brought in during the last window. If that happens I’ll probably pick the phone up to Ian and see if he will chuck another few quid in the budget.

"I’m not sure if it all comes in straight away or what the details are. But it’s fantastic for the club and for Josh. We want to get back to being a club that develops young players and sells them overseas because the sell-on can only help moving forward. It also shows that coming to Hibs can be a real platform for players to go on to big things and that would help us reinvest."

Montgomery hopes Doig's example serves as inspiration for the next generation pushing to make the breakthrough at Easter Road. He has given league debuts to Rory Whittaker, Josh Landers and Rudi Molotnikov this season, and could yet bring Kanayo Megwa back from his loan at Airdrie to play a part in the second half of the season.

Montgomery says the opportunity to give young players a platform was influential in bringing him to Hibs, revealing he made it a specific point of discussion when interviewed for the job. And the manager pointed to Bill Foley's eagerness to invest in the club as evidence that Hibs are already running an attractive business model.

And while that model is poised to deliver a welcome cash boost should Doig put pen to paper on a lucrative transfer this month, Montgomery believes the implications of a former East Mains hopeful making his mark across Europe go far beyond boosting Hibs' bank balance.

“It’s inspirational when you have a young kid come through," said Montgomery. "The success is that you give them an opportunity in the first team, and from there they move on to big things.

“Ultimately, every player’s dream is to reach the highest level they can. In Australia, I gave a lot of young players the platform to develop and then go on to big clubs all around the world.

“One of the main things that attracted me to Hibs was that the club has a history of developing young players, selling for good fees, then re-investing that money back in. Right now, we have an opportunity to do that.

“What I did when I came in was say that I’d give young players a chance. Rory Whittaker is now the youngest player in the club’s history across 150 years - I think that shows I’m brave enough to put young players in.

“Rory’s started four games, and we’ve drawn two, won two when he’s been in the team. I think that shows that maybe physically he’s not ready but technically he is. He is a great kid and that inspires everybody in the academy. So when we go out and try to bring young players in they see Rory, Josh Doig, players like Scott Brown in the past. That’s the history of the club.

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“I spoke about it with Brian, Ian and Ben Kensell when I got interviewed for the job because I am passionate about developing young players, and also recruiting young players from around the world and giving them that platform. That’s a good business model for the club and Hibs is a club we’re trying to grow.

“The Bill Foley interest shows that somebody of that calibre sees Hibs as a good club where you can move players around in that system. Right now it’s my opportunity to bring young players in and try to inspire them. I was a young player who broke into the first team at 18 and had a good career. It’s important we continue to do that.”