Lee Johnson has opened up on the future of star man Kevin Nisbet as the transfer window enters its final few days.
The Easter Road club accepted an offer from English Championship side Millwall with the Scotland international looking set for a departure from the capital. However, he decided against the switch in a huge transfer twist and returned north of the border. He climbed off the bench and netted in the massive 6-0 win over Aberdeen but the Hibees gaffer admits the hitman called him on Friday and declared he wanted to start the match.
The 41-year-old explained the reasons why he wouldn't be in his starting side but assured him that he would feature and also pointed out they play again midweek. The men from Leith play the same night as the window shuts and Johnson 'believes' he will stay as part of his squad now until at least the summer. He has 18 months left on his current deal.
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Speaking about Nisbet, Johnson admitted: "When Kevin gets the bit between his teeth in anything, he's got that ability and self-belief to be able to focus intently on what he wants.
"He rang me up on Friday and said, 'I'm coming back and I want to start' but I told him we'd been working without him all week, he hadn't kicked a ball, but I'd get him on, and obviously we have another game on Tuesday.”
On his immediate future, he added: "I believe he'll be here beyond Tuesday. There's nothing else bubbling away as far as I'm aware and I think he'll be here at least until the summer.
"He hasn't spoken to me a lot, because we've been raptly focused on the Aberdeen game. He was even late for the match because of the traffic from Glasgow but I spoke to him very briefly to say, 'welcome back, I'm personally delighted you haven't gone,' and to articulate why he was going to come on from the bench and not start.”
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