Joe Newell ‘thrilled’ with latest Hibernian contract extension

Hibernian midfielder Joe Newell declared himself “thrilled” after signing a second contract extension in little over 12 months.

Newell has extended his stay until the summer of 2025, having had at least a year left on his previous deal.

The Birmingham-born player signed for Hibs in 2019 under Paul Heckingbottom.

The 29-year-old told Hibs TV: “I’m thrilled. The gaffer pulled me in a few weeks ago now and said he wanted to extend my stay here.

“I have loved it since I have been here, that’s why I signed a new contract last season. For him to want me to extend it further was really nice.

“The club is going in a direction that I want to be involved in. Since I first came through the door, I think it has come on leaps and bounds in terms of everything.

“If you look at the success we have had on the pitch, the way the club has moved forward, new ownership, new management, different style, new players coming in, the academy is moving forward really well.”

The former Peterborough and Rotherham midfielder is in line to make his 100th appearance for Hibs this season.

Manager Shaun Maloney said: “I’m really pleased that Joe has committed to the club for what I believe will be peak years in his career.

“In terms of what we are trying to build here for the long term, Joe is an integral and really influential player.

“Not only has he demonstrated a consistent high level of technical performance on the pitch, he plays a very important leadership role within the squad.

“He’s a real example to the young players we have in the squad, and he can be a big player as we continue to evolve moving forward, striving to achieve our goals.

“The strong competitive side of his game drives the team in the biggest of matches and I believe he can