Hibs target a move for Mccrorie
● Rangers player on Easter Road club’s radar as Jack Ross looks to beef up his midfield options after losing four from that area
Hibs have stepped up their interest in Rangers player Ross Mccrorie as head coach Jack Ross looks to beef up his options in midfield.
The former Scotland Under-21 captain, who is out of the first-team picture at Ibrox, spent last season on loan at Portsmouth and while he has undertaken pre-season at Rangers and was part of their squad for the Europa League tie away at Leverkusen last night, he is behind others in the pecking order.
Hibs are hopeful of doing a deal for Mccrorie, who is also being monitored by clubs in England, but it is understood that the player would prefer a permanent move away from Rangers rather than another loan and he is open to the prospect of joining Hibs.
The Easter Road club’s transfer coffers were boosted yesterday when Florian Kamberi’s move to Swiss Super League outfit St Gallen was confirmed. The forward penned a threeyear deal with his new club, with Hibs receiving a fee in the region of £150,000 and a sellon clause. The cash brought in from the Kamberi sale is likely to be used in any pursuit of Mccrorie.
Born in Dailly, South Ayrshire, and brother to Rangers goalkeeper Robby, who is currently on loan at Livingston, Mccrorie, 22, has been capped 16 times by Scotland
Under-21s and has played nearly 50 times for the Ibrox club, as well as having loan spells at Ayr United, Dumbarton and Portsmouth.
His main position is playing as a defensive midfielder, but he can also fill in at centre-half and at right-back.
Hibs are also thought to retain an interest in Mccrorie’s Rangers team-mate Greg
Docherty, pictured inset. The former Hamilton man caught the eye with some strong showings in midfield after joining Hibs on loan in January as part of the deal that saw Kamberi sign a six-month loan with Rangers. However, the 23-yearold midfielder is believed to have suitors south of the Border as well.
He impressed during a season-long loan spell with Shrewsbury Town during the 2018-19 season, and could feel his future lies in England.
Reports earlier this week also suggested Hibs had enquired about the availability of Barnsley’s defensive midfielder Toby Sibbick, who joined Hearts on loan during the winter transfer window, prior to his loan move to Oostende in Belgium.
Midfield is an area Ross is looking to strengthen. Four 2 Ross Mccrorie played for Rangers against Lyon during a pre-season tournament in France but the Scotland U21 international is well down the pecking order of midfielders at the Ibrox club. players capable of operating in central midfield left the club over the summer as Docherty and Stephane Omeonga returned to their parent clubs and Vykintas Slivka and Steven Whittaker moved on at the end of their contracts.
Alex Gogic was brought in earlier this summer to add some steel, but it appears Hibs’ recruitment team is still working to bolster options in the middle of the park.