Hibernian transfer news: Lee Johnson on summer window plans and Kevin Nisbet’s future | Football News

Hibernian manager Lee Johnson has told Sky Sports News he is “actively talking” to potential new signings with the summer recruitment drive already underway.

The Easter Road club went under a huge rebuild last summer with four more players joining in the January window as they look to secure European football for next season.

After a poor start to the campaign they currently sit sixth in the Scottish Premiership, five points behind Edinburgh rivals Hearts who are third.

Johnson, who took charge last May, believes they will make better transfer decisions in this window.

“I think there was a lot of crossover in terms of previous managers. Obviously, you need to be able to work with a recruitment team, some contracts are sometimes in the drawer already and then get announced and are perceived as a particular manager’s signing,” he told Sky Sports News.

“We had an excellent [January] window with the four players we brought in Matthew Hoppe, Mikey Devlin in terms of his character and we’re just trying to build him up to full fitness, CJ Egan-Riley’s been fantastic for us and so has Jimmy Jeggo.”

“It’s also about moving the players out, not because they’re bad lads but because they need an opportunity to play their football and have the carrot at the end of the week.

“We’ve done that well and we’ve got a nice little team spirit here and we can build off the back of that now.

“Absolutely the recruitment drive is already on. There are players, particularly across-border, that are out of contract that we’re already actively talking to.

“If we can achieve our goals and secure that European qualification opportunity then we’re going to need to recruit quickly, therefore we need to be on the front foot with it.”

Johnson also hopes he can retain some of his top players including Kevin Nisbet, who pulled out of a £2.3m move to Millwall in January.

“I think Kevin’s an excellent player. A consistent goal-scorer, a fantastic finisher. You watch him in seven-a-sides and the amount of angles he finds with clear, crisp finishes is unbelievable,” he said of the striker who is under contract until the summer of 2024.

“Any club in the Scottish Premiership would look at Kevin Nisbet and want him in and around the squad.

“At the same time Kevin’s got ambitions, he wants to play as high as he can for as long as he can, like all players, depending what opportunities arise.

“The last opportunity led him to believe that Hibs was the right club for him and obviously we’ve still got him so, while he’s here, I’m certainly going to enjoy trying to improve him and develop his game but also him scoring goals for us and enjoying his football.”

Hibs’ all-time record league appearance holder Lewis Stevenson is out of contract at the end of the season with Johnson making no secret of his desire to keep the defender at the club.

“He hasn’t been offered a contact yet,” he added.

“After this conversation, I’m having a good talk with Lewis about the short-term, medium and long-term future because I think that’s important.

“He deserves that respect, but obviously it would be unwise of me to discuss it with you before I’ve discussed it with him.”

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