Hibernian boss Lee Johnson has acted sharply during the transfer window, making six signings as he looks to improve on the fifth-placed finish they achieved in the Premiership last term and with Europa Conference League qualifiers fast approaching, another one or two new arrivals wouldn’t do any harm at all.
The Easter Road side have been linked with a potential loan move for Manchester City starlet Lewis Fiorini ahead of next season, although they face competition from clubs in the Championship for his signature, yet Johnson will be hoping that European football could perhaps be an ideal incentive for the midfielder.
Hibs scored 57 goals in the league last term, which was the fourth-best total in the division, and these were spread out amongst the attack and midfield, with Josh Campbell netting nine from the heart of the Hibs midfield, yet adding Fiorini into the side could give them another extra attacking edge going forward.
Johnson could even form a dream midfield duo of Fiorini and new arrival Dylan Levitt – who is a product of Manchester United's academy – which he will be hoping can propel the club into the group stages of the Europa Conference League while also impressing on the domestic front too.
How good is Lewis Fiorini?
The 5 foot 10 starlet has yet to make an appearance for the City first team, however he has shone for their youth sides, scoring 12 goals and grabbing five assists in that period too. It has been his loan spells away from Manchester that have given him the platform to showcase his talents.
Registering 25 goal contributions – 13 goals and 12 assists – in temporary spells with Blackpool, Lincoln City and NAC Breda throughout the previous three seasons has not only given him an opportunity to play senior football, but an outlet to get his creative juices flowing.
He could thrive alongside Levitt, who notched eight goal contributions for Dundee United last term alongside creating four big chances and making 1.6 tackles per game, suggesting that not only does he provide an attacking threat from the centre of the midfield, but he also likes to get stuck in and win the ball back often.
Despite United's relegation, Levitt proved to be one of the standout members of the squad, ranking third for overall Sofascore rating, second for big chances created and fifth for tackles per game, and these sorts of attributes could allow him to shine at Hibs.
These traits could give Fiorini – who has been lauded for his "quality" by former Lincoln boss, Michael Appleton – more freedom to push forward on a regular basis, and it would surely prove to be a popular pairing at the centre of the Hibs midfield as they aim to finish in third place, behind Rangers and Celtic next term.
The 21-year-old is also a fixture at U21 level for Scotland, scoring twice for his country and under Johnson, Fiorini could land regular game time next season which could help bolster his chances at not only securing a first Scotland cap, but also giving him a chance at bursting into the City first team.