Hibernian have opened contract talks with teenage starlet Josh Doig in a bid to tie the burgeoning talent down to a longer deal.
The 18-year-old netted his first senior goal in Hibs’ 2-0 win over Hamilton Academical on Saturday to continue his fine form since displacing long-serving Lewis Stevenson at the start of the campaign.
Doig, picked up after his release from city rivals Hearts, has attracted the interest of Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Manchester City, with a host of other clubs reportedly monitoring his progress.
Manager Jack Ross admitted the Hibees’ may struggle to hold on to the youngster at the end of the campaign, adding Doig would be “on the radar” of several top sides.
Hibs have now moved to extend his deal beyond 2023 in the hopes of providing a financial cushion should any bid materialise.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports the Easter Road side have tabled a new deal, which Doig - who has played 23 times for the senior side - is expected to sign.
Speaking after Saturday's win over Accies, Ross said: "There’s probably been less hype than I expected for an 18-year-old playing regularly for a team challenging at the top end of the table. His development this season has been really encouraging for us, even his goal today, it’s something to be proud of.
"His progress this season has been brilliant and I think he’s slightly under the radar.
“But I think he will be on the radar of a lot of clubs just because of his athletic ability, his stature, the role he plays, all the different attributes he has, he’s played in a few different positions for us this season as well and I think he's still got improvement in him.”
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