Josh Doig deal 'protects' Hibs from English suitors

Josh Doig’s new contract at Hibernian will help to prevent richer clubs from trying to sign him at a cut price, boss Jack Ross has admitted.

The 18-year-old wing back has extended his Easter Road deal until 2025 during a breakthrough season that has seen him feature in 23 of Hibs’s 36 matches.

In January Doig was linked with English clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea and Ross said the improved new terms would ensure the player could not leave on the cheap.

The Hibs head coach said: “It gives ourselves protection to try and keep him at the club for longer.

“The extra length of the contract gives you protection in terms of any potential suitors in the future.

“Also because his progression in the first team has been quick and his previous contract was as a development player it is incumbent upon a club to reward platers for where they stand within the club.

“He is a first team player on merit and I think he will continue to be so, so I think it was important we recognised that.”

The contract marks a rapid rise for the player, who was released by boyhood club Hearts in 2018 before joining their Edinburgh rivals that summer.

Doig said he was still surprised to be playing so many games but joked that any questions about his transfer value should be for sporting director Graeme Mathie.

He said: “I’m absolutely clueless with all this value stuff – I just like playing football!

“But I think it is a bit of security for me and for the club in that sense.

“It is still a shock to have played as many games as I have so I need to keep building on that.

“What’s for me won’t go by me and there’s always a lot of [transfer] talk but I try not to look at any of that.

“I am here playing football at Hibs and enjoying absolutely every minute of it so I couldn’t be any happier.

“I am 18-years-old, I’ve played a decent amount of minutes and it is a great start for me but I can’t rest – I need to keep working.”