Hibs are yet to make their first signing of the January transfer window despite lodging a significant offer for a player.
The Hibees put in a £735k bid’ for Finland U19 wonderkid Matias Siltanen, a 17-year-old midfielder who plays for KuPS in his homeland.
Having already played 43 teams for the first time at his tender age, Siltanen is making plenty of people stand up take notice and there is significant interest in his services.
The Easter Road men face competition from Swedish outfit Djurgårdens IF and Fredrikstad in Norway’s Eliteserien.
It was claimed the Swedes were out in front in the race for the talented teen but that Hibs had matched their offer.
It was initially claimed Premier League side Bournemouth, Hibees‘ partner club, were the ones in for him but it then transpired it was indeed the Scottish Premiership men.
Siltanen certainly looks set to move on from Finland after the latest update.
Transfer latest on Hibs target Matias Siltanen
According to Expressen, Djurgardens have agreed a fee worth around £850,000 with KuPS which would allow the player to switch Scandinavian countries.
The Swedes were always seen as frontrunners but the report does add that the youngster is yet to make his own mind up on making the move.
A three-year deal is said to be on offer from the Allsvenskan side and Siltanen is expected to make his decision either this week or early next week.
Another factor which could sway him is that Jani Honkavaara is Djurgardens’ manager and was the man who handed him his debut at KuPS when in charge there.
And he told Fotbollskanalen: “I think things could be going on there. I know Matias wants to come here [ to Djurgårdens]. That’s the most important thing, that the player wants to come. He feels this is the right place for him, even though he has many other options.”
Speaking in August last year, Siltanen said: “It’s no secret that I want to play abroad at some point, and the higher the level, the better. The next step would be to play in a slightly tougher league. However, there’s no need to rush.”
Gray in Hibs transfers update
Hibs have also been linked with Croatian midfielder Jani Atanasov as Gray looks to bolster his squad.
They are certainly expected to do some business even if massive surgery is not needed with Kieron Bowie’s return from injury a boost and other crocked players expected back.
Gray has given an update on where things lie, telling Premier Sports: “I think the challenge is always to try and end the window in a more positive place than when you started. I think that’s clear but the work’s never ending.
“We’re trying to obviously look at targets all the time and try and strengthen in areas which if we think something can be done that’ll make us better, we’re looking to do that.
“We’ve also got the luxury of, or the benefit of, players coming back from long-term injuries. Kieran Bowie managed to get minutes to the weekend, which is a huge plus. He’s been out for a number of months, which is a blow for him.
“When he first joined the club, he was desperate to do well. Started well with a few cameo appearances and then picked up that injury. So players like him coming back will feel like new signings.
“We’ve also got Joe Newell, who’s been out at the moment. Miko, centre-forward, been out for a while. Elie Youan, add to that list as well. And the only one that’s probably going to be slightly longer is Marvin Ekpiteta.
“These are all key members of our squad. So to have them back, hopefully in a few weeks rather than anything else, will be a real boost for us as well.
“If we can add to that, something that makes the squad better, then hopefully as I’ve just touched on there we can end the window in a much stronger place than when we started it.
“I think we’re always looking. I think you’re always trying to move things on. I know that’s the political answer you’re always going to get from me at this stage, but whilst the window’s open, you always need to be proactive.
“You need to be moving all the time. I do expect there to be movement before the window closes. And I think as it goes on, the closer you get towards the end of the window, you do see things happening a lot more and a lot quicker. So I do expect there to be movement.”