Lee Johnson has given up on trying to keep Ryan Porteous at Hibs and will cash in on the centre back in January.
The Easter Road boss says they’ve made their best offer to the 23-year-old, who made an outstanding Scotland debut against Ukraine in September to enhance his reputation, and they are now resigned to the fact that they need to sell now as Porteous is about to go into the final six months of his contract.
Johnson admits that’s careless on Hibs’ part but he reckons there will be plenty of interest from the English Championship with Stoke City already credited with an interest.
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Johnson told The Scotsman: “The fact is and I’m probably better off just coming out with it, he ain’t signing a new contract.
“At the end of the day, we’ve offered a fantastic contract, a really big one for the football club and in my eyes a contract that should have been offered two-and-a-half years earlier for a player of that quality.
“I’ve got no issue with Ryan at all. He turned down the best contact we could offer and therefore is seeking pastures new.
“I think potentially a January sale would be the best idea if we realise the fee, because at that point you can reinvest the money back into the club.
"If I was a Championship manager, and I have been in the past, he is the exact type of player I would be looking at.”
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