Ranking Hibs' transfer needs in order of importance

The league campaign begins with a trip to St Mirren on Sunday, August 4. As things stand in the first-team squad Hibs have one centre-forward, one left-back, four right-backs, and about eight central midfielders. The imbalance is clear to see and will take time to overhaul, with head coach David Gray revealing there are 'lots of plates spinning'. 

But what positions need to be filled as a matter of urgency, and which ones are less pressing? 

Paramount: Strikers

The obvious one. Gray has been banging this drum for quite some time. Ten different players got gametime as forwards for Hibs last season but four of them have since left, either permanently or at the end of loan spells; another is rumoured to be leaving; one is a youngster; another is more of a midfielder, and another has so far mostly been used out wide, leaving Dylan Vente as Hibs' only out-and-out centre-forward as things stand. 

Élie Youan's injury rules him out for the time being and the uncertainty over his future may also have an impact on the players Hibs pursue in terms of whether they are traditional centre-forwards, or have the ability to play out wide as well. While giving young players a chance was Nick Montgomery's thing, Gray's appears to be versatile players who are comfortable in more than one position. 

Harry McKirdy was used out wide in the friendly against Edinburgh City but it's doubtful as to whether he would be utilised as a traditional centre-forward by Gray - even if the head coach does like his players to be comfortable in dual roles. Gray does not have much to choose from in terms of old-fashioned nines, but he does have a few attacking options in Martin Boyle, Josh Campbell, McKirdy, Vente, and Youan. But while the current set-up might have been enough for the Premier Sports Cup group stages, it absolutely won't be for the Scottish Premiership season.

Under-18 striker Josh Landers doesn't have a huge amount of first-team experience but he does have more than his fellow academy forward Dean Cleland. Beyond those two the likes of Connor Aitken and Kasper Kitchin have barely featured for the under-18s, never mind being ready for the step-up to the first team. Reinforcements of the senior variety are sorely needed in attack.

Kieron Bowie is someone who is on the club's radar but it remains to be seen if Hibs move on that one, with the Fulham forward understood to have been offered to a number of Scottish clubs, with the player keen on a return north for personal reasons. Former Easter Road loanee Mykola Kukharevych is also an option and would present a different type of attacker to Bowie and Vente. He showed his ability during an injury-hit loan spell under Lee Johnson but fell out of favour at Swansea City after making a permanent move to Wales from Troyes in France.

You'd imagine Gray would be keen to ideally get two in the door to give him a variety of options and available combinations. With the head coach already explaining his desire to pick both team and formation based on opposition and venue, having players who can operate individually and collectively is vital. Whether or not he can get both in sooner rather than later remains to be seen. 

Urgent: A left-back

All four of Hibs' right-backs have, at some point or another, played at left-back: Kanayo Megwa most recently against Kelty Hearts and Rory Whittaker for the last part of the summer friendly against PAOK, while Chris Cadden and Lewis Miller were both tried there under Johnson with arguably little success. Were Obita to suffer an injury necessitating a spell on the sidelines, I'm not sure any of the four would be a mid- to long-term solution. Short-term possibly, but asking any of them to fill in for, say, a six or seven-game run in the position doesn't bear thinking about. 

If Obita stays injury-free, and Megwa is on standby, then no sweat. But after Obita, the next left-back in line is Owen Calder and although he showed up well in the Watford friendly, his lack of senior experience might be a concern - and even if Gray shifts to a back three, I'm not sure there's an obvious candidate for left-wingback if Obita is unavailable. 

A new signing who could fill another position as well as left-back or left-wingback - say, centre-back, or left-wing - would be an obvious bonus. While Hibs might be able to muddle through until at least January with options of the makeshift variety in other positions, doing so in this position would be risky to say the least.

Potentially important: A versatile winger

With Martin Boyle confirming during the pre-season training camp in the Netherlands that he isn't off to Australia and is determined to have a better season than last year, Hibs' need for wide players is perhaps less urgent than it might have been... but a lot still depends on Youan, who is currently injured and out 'for a couple of weeks', according to Gray.

There are still question marks over the Frenchman's future at Easter Road. If he stays, Hibs have a versatile option for both wings and up top. If he leaves, Hibs' wide options as things stand would be Boyle, McKirdy, Jair Tavares, a slightly out-of-position Rudi Molotnikov, and full-backs Cadden and Obita - and as discussed, there isn't much in the way of left-back cover if the latter is playing further up the park. 

It also remains to be seen how Hibs will use Tavares this season. He played in the development squad's 2-1 victory over Dunbar United and came on as a second-half substitute against Elgin City, but didn't get off the bench against Queen's Park, while McKirdy can operate on the flank but more as a wide forward than a winger. Campbell also operated as a right-winger occasionally towards the end of last season but has so far been used in the ten role by Gray and it's unlikely he would be moved from that role except in an emergency.  

Bowie is capable of playing on the wing and up top, which would tick Gray's 'dual position' box, and there is interest in Junior Hoilett, the Canadian internationalist a free agent following a brief but productive spell at Aberdeen. But the real test will be replacing Youan's numbers should he leave. Ten goals and 11 assists is an impressive return but anyone capable of replacing those numbers on their own will likely either be unaffordable in fee and/or wages (see: Myziane Maolida) or somewhat flawed, as Youan is when it comes to consistency in the defensive side of his game. Loans are an option if players are unobtainable on a permanent (see: Myziane Maolida) but with at least a dozen players out of contract next summer, making permanent signings where possible would have an obvious knock-on effect this time next year. 

Even if Youan does stay, Hibs could do with another option on the flanks. But if he does move on, that's when it becomes more crucial to bring in replacements who are up to the task. Molotnikov has shown up well so far but you'd imagine it would take something special from him to get close to Youan's figures. On his early form, he wouldn't be a bad rotational option to have but Gray might also want him available for a more central role as well.

In the under-18s, winger Jamie McMurdo may have an outside chance of first-team involvement later this season. He has impressed for the under-18s in pre-season and scored twice in the 3-3 SPFL Trust Trophy draw with Albion Rovers on Tuesday night, with the Coatbridge side progressing on penalties, but regardless of Youan's situation, there's a feeling that an experienced out-and-out winger, or a versatile forward capable of filling in anywhere across the front three, would be a priceless addition to a team who may struggle to replicate their performances in front of goal in the Premier Sports Cup against Scottish Premiership opposition. 

Flexible: A centre-back

As things stand, Hibs have three centre-backs with ample first-team experience in Rocky Bushiri, Marvin Ekpiteta, and Warren O'Hora. The latter two have already established themselves as the starting pair in a back four, and have been joined by a full-back when Gray opts for a back three, such as Lewis Miller against Elgin City.

This leaves Bushiri, who can cover at RCB and LCB, and Riley Harbottle, who hasn't featured in any competitive games under Gray and would seem somewhat out of favour. If the former Nottingham Forest youngster stays then Hibs have four senior centre-backs, as well as full-backs who can cover the position. If he moves on, it's questionable whether Hibs can afford, both in a financial sense and a squad-size sense, to bring in another natural centre-back when other positions need filled first. 

It's why a left-back who can also cover centre-back would be the ideal recruit - and why Gray's preference for flexibility makes sense. 

A  bonus: A creative midfielder

A Scott Allan figure, capable of those filthy reverse passes and sumptuous through balls would be nice, but it's questionable how necessary one is. In a perfect world, Hibs wouldn't have to prioritise, but they do, and there are areas of the field in greater need of surgery. 

Six of Hibs' ten assists in the first two Premier Sports Cup games came from midfielders: four from Josh Campbell, who appears to be relishing his role as an unconventional ten, and one each from Joe Newell and Rudi Molotnikov. The big question is whether or not the current crop of midfielders are capable of maintaining those sorts of numbers in league games against sterner opposition but even if the club believe they can, it's a big risk to take. 

The argument for bringing in a playmaker is Gray's preference for tactics that utilise a ten - the 4231, the 352 that's actually more of a 3412.

The midfield area is saturated. Luke Amos, Josh Campbell, Allan Delferrière, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Nohan Kenneh, Dylan Levitt, Reuben McAllister, Rudi Molotnikov, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Joe Newell. Jacob MacIntyre, currently working his way back from injury, may also fancy his chances of greater first-team involvement having broken through last season while Murray Aiken is due back from his loan spell with Airdrie in January. 

Not every midfielder listed is going to play every week, or even be in Gray's first-team plans. There could be outgoings, either temporarily or permanently. But, as with Aiken and MacIntyre, there are youngsters in the under-18s needing a pathway. Luke Davidson and Josh McDonald, both of whom signed professional deals earlier this month, have shown glimpses in the under-18s although they have had extremely limited first-team exposure, albeit McDonald featured and scored against Raith Rovers in Lewis Vaughan's testimonial game back in March. Zach Bruce and Adam Buckley, who signed pro contracts in 2023 and 2024 respectively, will also hope to be in the mix. 

With Hibs quietly returning to a squad model of starter, back-up, and academy player, the 'maths ain't mathing', as things stand. The squad needs to be smaller and that pathway from academy to first team needs to be in place and be functioning, but most importantly Hibs need a balanced squad, which they still don't have. If a versatile playmaker becomes obtainable, that could impact Hibs' decision-making. But it's not always so straightforward.

Going into the summer transfer window the obvious priorities were central defenders, goalkeepers, and forwards. Two 'keepers and two centre-halves have already arrived, three of them starters, and there are plenty of rumours about strikers.

Rebuilding the Easter Road squad will not be a one or two-window job, and the task for Hibs is doing as much as possible now, to put the club in a stronger position come January, and next summer. But most importantly, they need to make sure the team is prepared for the rigours of a Scottish Premiership season and everything that it could throw at them. That, is perhaps the biggest challenge.