Kerry Mayodi
SPFL side Hibernian have opened talks with striker Kevin Nisbet over improved terms to his contract, in a bid to keep him at the club amid transfer speculation linking him with fellow Scottish side Celtic.
Nisbet signed for the club last summer in a six-figure deal from Dunfermline Athletic. He has scored 20 goals with 10 assists in 51 appearances for the Edinburgh club earning a first Scotland cap and feature at Euro 2020 for the national side.
Some reports have it that Nisbet was linked with a cash plus player swap deal last week, with The Hoops offering striker Leigh Griffiths to Hibernian.
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou did not confirm or deny the rumours when he was asked and Hibs boss Jack Ross trashed the claims as Nisbet missed Sunday’s match with Dundee due to illness.
The 24-year-old is under contract at Easter Road till 2024, but the Hibernian board wants to remove any temptations of leaving the club by giving him a wage uplift.
Hibernian have made it clear that they will not let go of their main players without a tussle, after they refused an astonishing £3 million for Nisbet from Birmingham City, valuing him at a fee around £3.5 million.
Nisbet was really upset after the move down south which would have seen him quadruple his wages failed to come to fruition.
Nisbet handed in a transfer request after Hibs rejected the bid, but the club was able to convince him to stay
Last week Hibernian rejected a £500,000 bid for Nisbet’s attacking partner Martin Boyle from Aberdeen and swiftly went on to offer him a new contract to keep him at the club.
With less than a week left till the transfer window closes, the Hibernian fans will be crossing their fingers, hoping that Nisbet signs the contract, and looking forward to no surprises.
