What David Gray said about Hibs transfers as attacker linked with Easter Road switch

The Easter Road side have already brought in nine players, completing eight permanent deals and one loan arrangement, and have moved on seven from last year’s first-team squad. Nohan Kenneh, Elias Melkersen, Ewan Henderson, and Dan MacKay have all headed out on loan with another six development-squad players agreeing temporary deals to boost their experience of senior football in the SPFL.

But Hibs are hopeful of supplementing their squad with additions before the window ahead of Sunday’s trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen. Lee Johnson, who was relieved of his duties as manager on Sunday, said in the aftermath of the 3-2 defeat by Livingston that ultimately ended his time in charge that work was still being done to add to his playing group.

Caretaker boss Gray opted not to get too bogged down with recruitment as he previewed the second leg of the club’s European swansong against Unai Emery’s side at Villa Park on Thursday night.

"The window is open and there will be conversations going on but my full concentration is purely on preparing the team for the game as best I can,” he said, adding that he would prefer to leave transfer chat until after the game. Johnson said on Saturday that he had been consistent in what he believed the squad needed, adding: “I won’t say publicly but it’s something I’ve been banging the drum about for some time now.”

One player Hibs have been linked with is Bournemouth attacker Jamal Lowe. The Jamaican internationalist has a year remaining on his contract with the Cherries after signing a three-year deal when he moved from Swansea in the summer of 2021 but he appears to be out of favour at the Vitality Stadium.

He spent most of last season on loan at Queens Park Rangers, scoring three goals and registering two assists, and hasn’t featured in Andoni Iraola’s plans so far this season. The Evening News understands that Lowe is one of a number of players under consideration by the Easter Road side and no move is imminent.