Hearts have been extremely active in targeting Premiership rivals’ players on pre-contracts.
Hibs could be about to rival them for their latest target.
Lat year, the Jambos tied up deals for Motherwell’s Blair Spittal, Yan Dhanda of Ross County and Livingston’s James Penrice early on as they looked to equip themselves for this campaign.
The results have been mixed with Spittal and Penrice two of the club’s best players this season and teaming up effectively on the left flank and Dhanda, while not a flop, hasn’t quite hit the same heights.
Hearts have been busy in this window with midfielder Sander Kartum and defender Michael Steinwender their latest recruits and potentially more to follow.
While Hibs have just added midfielder Alasana Manneh from OB, their first deal of the January window.
Both are now said to be eyeing up an out-of-contract Aberdeen star for the summer.
Hearts and Hibs target Jamie McGrath
Jamie McGrath is one of several Aberdeen players out of contract at the end of this season and there have been talks with the Pittodrie club about extending, with no update to be had.
Hearts and Hibs could both look to take advantage of that, according to the Daily Record.
It is reported that both Edinburgh clubs have expressed their interest in the attacking midfielder, 28, who is free to talk to other clubs as he is in the final months of his deal.
There is also interest Stateside from clubs in MLS.
Aberdeen themselves got McGrath on a free transfer from Wigan and Hearts were strongly linked at the time, while Hibs have also come close to signing him before while he was at St Mirren.
The Irishman has previously played for the Buddies and Dundee United in Scotland as well has having a spell in England with Wigan.
He proved to be a shining light in a struggling Dons team last season, scoring 11 goals in all competitions as they finished in the bottom half.
The Republic of Ireland international continued to be a key player under Jimmy Thelin’s early march to the top of the Premiership, but is currently out for months with a shoulder injury.
McGrath has been in talks with Aberdeen for months about a new deal.
Thelin said on it: “I know that his agent and Steven (Gunn) are speaking. Let’s see what’s happening. I know the process is there and that’s what I know.”
What the stats say about Aberdeen star McGrath
Back in October and during Aberdeen’s flying start to the season, we looked at McGrath’s incredible stats and how they had played an important part in that.
At that point the gifted midfielder sat top of the tree in the Premiership for chances created and big chances created.
That is no longer the case but he does remain the highest scoring non-Old Firm player for the former with 40, only a Rangers dup ahead of him.
He has only created one more big chance that previous article and that leaves him sitting 13th for the whole league.
McGrath had previously scored very well for expected assists (xA), the highest scoring non-OF player at the time with 1.9, and x per 90 at 0.33.
His xA is now 3.8 and that places him 12th for the Premiership, while his xA per 90 is 0.22 which is 19th in the table.
So not quite the creative force he was early in the season but the stats are certainly still good and show he has had a strong influence on the team in that regard, even though his powers have waned.
It should also be noted he remains joint top for actual assists with six, a far more important stat that expected assists.