Summer transfer thread 2025

There’s actually an article on the BBC Sport page mentioning Modric going to the Huns with Ancelotti Jnr 😂😂😂

“When asked whether he'd fancy coming to Rangers, he didn't say no“

And

“Other players have also asked Ancelotti to take them to Scotland.”

****ing hell!!

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Originally Posted by bingo70

Because we’ll have scouted Poulsen and felt he was better than Smith, otherwise we wouldn’t be signing him.

That’s not to say Smith won’t get the opportunity to prove the management wrong but if we’re not trying to sign better than what’s already here we’re doing it wrong.

This isn’t kids football where you need to give everyone a fair shot with equal game time. We play who we think is best and the players who aren’t picked need to prove otherwise every day in training and in matches when they get the chance.

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Currently I think Smith is the better keeper and he has also played and is playing at a much higher level than Paulson.

I like Paulson and I think he is a brave keeper too, not too shy about coming off his line or diving into the mix. He does though have errors in him though and at times his distribution can be questionable, all that said and done I would like him at Easter Rd challenging for the gloves.

I see Cammy Devlin thinks his style of play will be suited to the type of team McInnes is building.
There is no doubt it will, its an absolute certainty!

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Originally Posted by JohnM1875

There’s actually an article on the BBC Sport page mentioning Modric going to the Huns with Ancelotti Jnr 😂😂😂

“When asked whether he'd fancy coming to Rangers, he didn't say no“

And

“Other players have also asked Ancelotti to take them to Scotland.”

****ing hell!!

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Have Sevco's season ticket sales slowed down? What passes for sports journalists in Scotland trying to give Sevco a wee leg up I'd suggest.

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Originally Posted by HoboHarry

Have Sevco's season ticket sales slowed down? What passes for sports journalists in Scotland trying to give Sevco a wee leg up I'd suggest.

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Always been thus

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Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby

I don’t see it like that at all .

I think since Smith stepped in as NO.1 against Aberdeen in the 3-3 game he’s exceeded expectations and done brilliantly and was one of the top keepers in our league last season and because of this I don’t think it will matter who comes in as Gray will stick with Smith as the NO.1 , the jerseys basically his to lose .

If keeps up the levels of performances then Paulsen wouldn’t see a lot of game time ( why would he ? ) which isn’t what Bournemouth want for their player . Going by how we stuck with Bursik for so long I don’t think Grays as ruthless to drop our current keeper who has been outstanding… just my opinion of course.

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I’m not convinced smith gets to keep the gloves based off this seasons exploits.

If we were going into next season with the same keepers that ended this season then maybe. He’ll be getting new competition though, and if the new competition is deemed to be better then Smith will quite rightly be on the bench.

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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Originally Posted by Unseen work

The biggest thing that impacts Smith is his name and where he was signed from.

It’s almost like it’s not exotic or a big enough name for some.

The vast majority of his performances have been brilliant and he’s the best keeper I’ve seen at ER in years.

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Well he will keep the new guy out of the team no problem. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition in a key position.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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Risk upgrading?

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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Not so sure I’d go as far as to say he’d be bonkers. If he thinks there is a better keeper then he’d be right to do it.

If Smith starts next season as number one, then I wouldn’t be overly concerned. Based on who was playing last season that and the right wing back position are positions I think we could improve.

Priorities for me would be re-signing or replacing Rocky and Triantis. And we’ll need a striker as well. Beyond that, we’re not too bad in terms of numbers so it’ll be about trying to upgrade some positions if we want to improve. Not easy, but we’ll need to look to do it if we want to improve.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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An ‘upgrade’ is never a risk, surely?

We can and will get better in goals despite a good end to the season.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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I'd upgrade any player if we had the funds. Not sure what risk an upgrade is?

We need 2 keepers with Boruc and Bursik away. Surely we should be bringing in keepers capable of challenging Smith if we can. They might not be good enough but we do need new keepers no matter what so why not try to get better?

Surely the bigger risk would be bringing in a new goalkeeper who we know isn’t better than Smith.

What do we do if it turns out that Smith has been playing out of his skin the last few months and fails to match those levels next season - bring in another goalie?

Hearing Hibs are in for Adam Le Fondre and Danny Swanson.

Any goalkeeper can lose form or get injured. Smith deserves to keep his place but it only makes sense to have at least one other experienced goalie that can step in. Not a position we can take a gamble on especially after our start last season.

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Originally Posted by James70

Any goalkeeper can lose form or get injured. Smith deserves to keep his place but it only makes sense to have at least one other experienced goalie that can step in. Not a position we can take a gamble on especially after our start last season.

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I agree and it was nice when we had the choice of Marciano or Bogdan.

For whats its worth i would love us to bring Rocky back to the club he was a quality keeper.

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Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I’m not convinced smith gets to keep the gloves based off this seasons exploits.

If we were going into next season with the same keepers that ended this season then maybe. He’ll be getting new competition though, and if the new competition is deemed to be better then Smith will quite rightly be on the bench.

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I don’t think he should just keep the gloves if we kept the same keepers . I think it’s more down to how he’s performed since coming into the team and as we all know he’s been outstanding and proven to be one of the best keepers in the league.

I agree that he needs competition for the jersey but I doubt whoever comes as our new keeper is just going to takeover from Smith , another reason for this is Bursik had the jersey and Gray stuck with him as NO 1 even though Smith has proven to be a far better keeper .

I think Gray will stick with Smith as our No.1 whoever comes in , if he starts messing up like Bursik did he will naturally be replaced but if he doesn’t and continues to perform well he will keep the gloves IMO . It’s for this reason i don’t think It would suit Bournemouth or Paulsen to sign for Hibs unless we guarantee him game time which would be very unfair on Smith considering how he’s performed . Be surprised if it’s Paulsen we sign .

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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He’d be even more bonkers to go into a European campaign with no keeper pushing Smith on. Competition is good for keepers

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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Smith is the same category as C Cadden for me. Solid players that you know what you will get and fine to go into next season as first choice. However there’s as big a risk of players like them regressing next season given a season like this season usually results in a big drop off. As big a risk of players not hitting the same heights as looking for upgrades IMO.

I’d not have upgrading Smith as a priority, though don’t think it’s out with the realms of possibility to do so. Same with C Cadden, think we need a starting wing back that can take some of the attacking reliance off N Cadden, particularly if N Cadden doesn’t hit the same heights as last season.

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Originally Posted by andrew70

An ‘upgrade’ is never a risk, surely?

We can and will get better in goals despite a good end to the season.

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I guess my point is that any change is a risk, even one that is considered to be an upgrade. On paper, would Bursik not be considered an upgrade? In reality, you don't know how they're going to get on until they're in the team.

Smith has done well, well enough for me to be thinking that we stick rather than twist - especially if we keep Rocky and it means keeping a whole, effective defensive unit together.

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Originally Posted by Stokesy's on fire

Hearing Hibs are in for Adam Le Fondre and Danny Swanson.

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Thank God! Finally a rumour!

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Originally Posted by Stokesy's on fire

I agree and it was nice when we had the choice of Marciano or Bogdan.

For whats its worth i would love us to bring Rocky back to the club he was a quality keeper.

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This reminds me of a time when my then 4 year old son was introduced to a pal of mines new girlfriend

We asked my pal how it was going with the new partner

"Oh mate, she's a keeper" he said

"SHES A GOALIE?? WOW!" said the four year old, suddenly surprised and impressed....

I would keep smith as our number 1 going into next season, was excited with the Paulsen links a while ago and just seen an article from earlier on him picking up a few end of season awards and the links with the BK.

Does leave Murray as first choice and would maybe be another year without Hibs first team football, was highly rated a few years ago who has maybe not had the best couple of years progress wise, still only 20 years old so still time for him, i just don't see it being this season or at all.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

I guess my point is that any change is a risk, even one that is considered to be an upgrade. On paper, would Bursik not be considered an upgrade? In reality, you don't know how they're going to get on until they're in the team.

Smith has done well, well enough for me to be thinking that we stick rather than twist - especially if we keep Rocky and it means keeping a whole, effective defensive unit together.

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Smith is still going to be here so how is it a risk? When new goalie comes in if he performs better he has the gloves, if not he is understudy to Smith? We need to be signing someone who can challenge Smith then its up to them both to fight it out.

The fact that we need to sign a new goalkeeper isn’t debatable. We have no number 2 right now.

The only question is who starts with the gloves next season. Smith has done nothing at all to warrant being dropped, however Sallinger is too good a keeper on the face of things to come in as a number 2 and Bournemouth presumably won’t be keen on loaning out Paulsen to us only for him not to play.

Tough one for Gray to manage.

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Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby

I don’t think he should just keep the gloves if we kept the same keepers . I think it’s more down to how he’s performed since coming into the team and as we all know he’s been outstanding and proven to be one of the best keepers in the league.

I agree that he needs competition for the jersey but I doubt whoever comes as our new keeper is just going to takeover from Smith , another reason for this is Bursik had the jersey and Gray stuck with him as NO 1 even though Smith has proven to be a far better keeper .

I think Gray will stick with Smith as our No.1 whoever comes in , if he starts messing up like Bursik did he will naturally be replaced but if he doesn’t and continues to perform well he will keep the gloves IMO . It’s for this reason i don’t think It would suit Bournemouth or Paulsen to sign for Hibs unless we guarantee him game time which would be very unfair on Smith considering how he’s performed . Be surprised if it’s Paulsen we sign .

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I don’t think it’s unfair.

Where do we draw the line on it? If we got offered the chance to sign Courtois, does Smith just keep the gloves because he done well last season? Obviously that’s an extreme example, but the same principles will be used for any other new goalie we sign. If Gray deems them to be a better goalkeeper then they’ll be into the side. That’s not unfair on Smith, he just has to work hard, be ready and take any opportunity that may come his way going forward. Same goes for every player in every position.

The club should, and will, always look to improve. If that means players who have done well are replaced by players we deem could be even better then so be it, that’s football.

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Originally Posted by HFC93

Well he will keep the new guy out of the team no problem. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition in a key position.

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Last time we had 2 quality keepers in the squad was Marciano and Bogdan.
Would be brilliant to have another two as injuries happen.

It’s a tricky one re smith as he seems to have such a good understanding with the defence. Perhaps a really good communicator/organised?

Especially when you see the goals conceding under Bursik.

So whoever comes in not only needs to be a good shot stopped, they need to show the other side of it to.

The togetherness and attitude of the keeper and defence was vital last season

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Originally Posted by Smartie

Gray would have to be stark raving bonkers to watch the way Smith played last season and risk upgrading him at this point.

He's a safe pair of hands and a known quantity in a key position. Given we've probably got a few loan players who'll need replacing, I'd rather we took our risks there.

We'll need an understudy and as with himself last season, it would be best if we had an understudy signed who was willing and capable of challenging to be number one. Keeps Smith very much on his toes if nothing else.

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I think we are not wanting to take risks anywhere .
Everything we read from MM and gray is whoever we sign must be better than we already have.
It's up to those here now to keep playing to there best level or they will loose there place.


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