9th June 2001
3 million reasons to be cheerful!
£3m is the price placed on McLeish by Hibernian
(Stuart Crowther)

HIBERNIAN FANS HAVE THIS MORNING around 3 million reasons to celebrate, as that is the price placed on keeping Alex McLeish at Easter Road and moving Hibernian on to the next stage of their development.

While English Premiership clubs have been lining up to lure McLeish away from Edinburgh, a job many suspected would not be difficult, the Hibs board have quietly got on with the job of planning the next stages of the club's development from the low point of relegation three years ago.  It has been a patient build-up which is only now being appreciated by most Hibs fans, and the news this week of a possible double-signing is only the start.

Ulises de la Cruz will likely sign next week, with the club hoping that Marc Libbra will follow closely - and the new faces arriving at the club will not halt there, with likely as many as six new faces set to arrive before Hibs kick-off their SPL campaign on 28th July, and the total cost to the club in transfer and signing-on fees looks set to be around the £3m mark.  This against a backdrop of just about every SPL club outside of the Old Firm tightening their purse-strings, with only newcomers Livingston looking to buy in new talent ahead of the new season.

Ulises de la Cruz - Hibs most important signing ever?

While the danger remains that a major club will make moves on McLeish, the likelihood of the Hibs boss moving on is receding by the day, as it becomes clear his detailed and ambitious plans for Hibs are being matched by the club's board of directors.  The signing of de la Cruz represents a transfer record for Hibs, with the final bill likely to be around £680,000 due to a number of complications in the player's situation.  While Hibs are yet to stroke the T's and dot the I's on the deal, the most important agreement has been reached, that of the player to spending the next five years in green and white.

The Internet - and Hibs.net - has had a part to play in the decision of a player who promises to be one of the most important signings ever made by the club, the right-back's wife saying last night: "In the last two days I have been working a lot on the internet to find out as much information as possible about Hibernian, Edinburgh and Scotland.  We are looking forward to going to Scotland and starting a new life there.  It is funny because I started English lessons two months ago and I hope I can develop my skills once I move over to Edinburgh."

The problems that remain in the signing of the Ecuador defender are complicated by the fact that while he is currently playing for Barcelona Guayaquil, his contract is actually held by Deportiva Universitaria and so far no talks have taken place with that club over his transfer, however president of Deportiva, Rodrigo Paz, confirmed that a fee of around £600,000 would be required for the player.  He said: "Ulises has been working with six different agents to get him a move to Europe and we have to wait and see what happens.  Ulises is available for £600,000 or for one year on loan for £130,000.  If Hibernian want to buy the player they have to speak to us."

As yet Hibs have not made an official offer to Deportiva, but it is understood by Hibs.net that agreement has been reached with the player in full knowledge of the asking price sought by his club.

Meanwhile the second part of the double transfer deal could see Marc Libbra arrive at Easter Road on a permanent deal later this week.  Toulouse are understood to be holding out for a fee in the region of £750,000, while Hibs managing director Rod Petrie has placed an opening bid of around £500,000.  Petrie will conclude talks with the French club next week, and the club would only say at this stage that talks had taken place and were 'constructive and friendly'.