Lee Johnson says Hibs defender Ryan Porteous is being actively targeted and it could force him out of Edinburgh.
There's conversations ongoing over extending the Scotland international's contract beyond the end of this season, but Johnson has been left concerned amid a recent run of incidents, including Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin calling him a 'cheat.' Speaking in context of VAR being introduced to the Scottish Premiership, the Hibs boss says his centre-back becoming a target could make his mind up on whether he he stays or goes from Easter Road.
He said: "The-off-the-ball stuff should get caught but it doesn't get caught enough at this level, at the time or retrospectively. Ryan Porteous had a big one where he received a really heavy elbow off the ball (against Dundee United on Tuesday) It didn't get picked up, it didn't get spoken about and I think Ryan Porteous needs a lot more protection than he is getting at the moment.
READ MORE: Ryan Porteous' Hibs future latest with 'strong' contract offered reveals Lee Johnson
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"He is actively being targeted which is quite interesting. He showed great maturity not to react in those situations. You have a Scottish player, young, extremely talented, now in the Scotland set-up, that has got a reputation.
"I look back to England and I feel it is more diluted in England because of the number of clubs you have whereas here it is such a goldfish bowl in terms of the media, the amount of times the players and managers come across each other, sometimes there can be a subliminal bias against certain players.
"He might want to jump out of the Scottish league for that exact reason because he feels that target is there on and off the pitch. It is a concern. You could end up losing players for that type of scenario, that they don't feel they are being protected, they feel that they are being targeted.
"Since I have come in he has been an absolutely A-grade professional in every action, off the pitch and on the pitch. In terms of aggression and control in games and he has been an absolute pleasure to work with."
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