Hibs could be set to reunite with an old face again this summer, with boss Lee Johnson feeling a deal is possible to bring back Will Fish, according to The Scotsman.
Who is Will Fish?
The 20-year-old defender spent the 2022/23 season out on loan in the Scottish Premiership with Hibs, who gave him his first real taste of men's first-team football. Prior to that short-term deal, he had struggled to get regular action – but if you watched him perform, you wouldn't have thought that. Going from hardly any minutes to 1,582 in total, he played in 21 league games for the club, with 18 starts, and even bagged three goals despite being a centre-back.
The youngster has made his Premier League debut for parent club Man United – that came as a 17-year-old, which shows how highly he is regarded – but has since been unable to get onto the field any more in the top flight. He hasn't even been used as a squad player, instead biding his time playing for their reserve team.
He did get a chance to get some gametime under his belt during a loan switch to Stockport back in 2021/22, when the side climbed out of non-league and into the EFL, but he managed only two league appearances and one start. Once more, he struggled to get the minutes he needed and couldn't even get much use for the Vanarama National side from off the bench or as a squad player.
Are Hibs signing Will Fish?
His time with Hibs then has been easily his most productive as of yet, and the Premiership side are seemingly confident of landing him on another deal ahead of the 2023/24 season. According to boss Johnson, via The Scotsman, he remains in "contact" with both the Red Devils and the youngster himself over a potential return to Easter Road.
Even though he is currently away with his parent club on their pre-season tour, the signs are that he will make the switch back to Scotland when it is done and dusted. The only thing the boss couldn't do is 100% confirm that a deal will go ahead.
Johnson said: "We’re in constant contact with Manchester United and I am in constant contact with Will himself. I’m very positive about that one. But until it is signed, sealed and delivered it’s not one I can guarantee is going to happen."
The Hibs manager is certainly a fan of Fish, having seen him on loan last season and already praised him for his showings in Scotland. He called the defender "fantastic" back in March and added that if you could craft a centre-back yourself, you would make it like the United youngster.
It means he is clearly viewed highly by those at the club and with his development progressing nicely with the SPL outfit, United may feel it is worthwhile sending him back to them. Hibs certainly feel a deal is possible and it looks like a reunion could be on the cards for the youngster soon.
