Hibs striker Murray close to switch to South Africa

Striker Simon Murray was missing from the Hibs squad which flew out to the Faroe Islands last night as he closes in on a £150,000 move to South African side Bidvest Wits.

Paul Hanlon also didn’t board the plane carrying the Easter Road side, who will face NSI Runavik at the Toftir Stadium tomorrow night with their place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League effectively sealed following a 6-1 first-leg win in Edinburgh.

But Celtic target John Mcginn, an absentee through injury for the first leg as it was revealed a second bid of £1.75 million from the Glasgow club had been rejected by Hibs, did travel with the group.

Celtic are understood to have made no further approaches for the 23-year-old, who is also said to be attracting interest from English clubs.

Murray was Hibs’ top scorer with 15 goals last season despite spending the second half of the campaign on loan with Dundee. The 26-year-old, signed from Dundee United last summer, was the subject of a failed six-figure bid from Turkish club Elazigspor during the January transfer window. But he found himself part of that transfer deadline-day merry-go-round in which Scott Allan left Dens Park for Hibs as Murray travelled in the opposite direction with goalkeeper Scott Bain moving to Celtic.

Murray returned to Hibs for pre-season but the club have now accepted an offer from Bidvest Wits.