Hibs were recently beaten to the signature of Marc McNulty by Sunderland.
The League One club have snapped up his services on a season-long loan from Reading. It follows on from an impressive loan spell at Easter Road in the second half of last term.
Leith boss Paul Heckingbottom has expressed that the outcome of the race for McNulty’s signature has left him ‘disappointed’.
He told Edinburgh Live: “I am disappointed but I sort of knew. I was never going to say we had no chance because we wanted him. He was certainly open to coming back but it was always going to be tough. Same with Stephe (Omeonga), we knew what was happening.
“There was constant dialogue with the agents and the players. We have always been honest with them and they have been honest with us but there was nothing we could do about it.”
McNulty will do well for Sunderland
Last term the striker hit seven goals with four assists in 15 Premiership games. He was the Hibees talisman as the club went under a mini renaissance under new manager Heckingbottom.
It helped earn him his first Scotland cap. After such impressive form in green and white, it was never going to go unnoticed.
As soon as clubs south of the border became interested, Hibs were always fighting a losing battle.
McNulty will do well for Sunderland. His move to Reading didn’t quite work out, but he’s more than capable of playing at Championship level. With his deadly capability inside the 18 yard box, he should score for fun in red and white.
Hibs fans everywhere will no doubt wish him well on his new adventure. They’ll be hoping that one day, McNulty does return to Leith.