Hibs: Summer recruitment plans under way as club identifies key position to fill

The Easter Road side brought in a total of 11 players during January – including development team signings – as well as Chris Mueller, who joined following the end of the MLS season, but there is set to be further movement in the summer as Hibs look to strengthen the playing squad.

Maloney felt there were too many midfielders of a similar profile in the squad he inherited, which may partly explain the departures of Alex Gogic and Melker Hallberg, but he is still keen to source a pivot in the middle of the park to dovetail with a more creative, attack-minded player.

At last week’s AGM, owner Ron Gordon accepted that there were gaps in the playing squad that needed filled and confirmed alongside Maloney that the team needed a number six, while hinting that players could leave in the summer in order to trim the bloated playing squad.

And in a recent appearance on the Down the Slope podcast, chief executive Ben Kensell highlighted the number six position as “massively important to a successful team”.

He said: "I always think a player who can merge defence and attack and just be everything to everyone that you need on the pitch, is a special one.

"It’s a massively under-rated position. If you look at the majority of the best teams in the world they have unbelievable number sixes in their squads,” he added.