Kevin Nisbet admits Wednesday’s cinch Premiership match at home to Celtic could be his last at Easter Road as a Hibernian player.
The prolific 26-year-old has regularly been linked with transfers away from the Hibees since joining from Dunfermline in 2020 and a proposed £2.3million move to Millwall fell through in January when the striker – who had just returned from long-term injury – decided he would prefer to remain in Edinburgh “for the time being”.
With just one year left on his contract and little prospect of Hibs being able to tie their prized asset to a new deal, it is widely expected that a fully-fit Nisbet will be sold this summer.
Asked on Tuesday if it was in his mind that the Celtic match could be his last at Easter Road, he said: “It could, yeah. But for me it’s just about focusing on the game and then focusing on the Hearts game (at Tynecastle on Saturday).
“All the other stuff is put to the side until after the season and then we’ll take it from there. For me, it’s just about putting a good performance on against Celtic and trying to get three points.”
Nisbet remained coy when pressed further on how he expects this summer to pan out.
“I’m not really too sure,” he said. “I’ve not really thought into it. My agent and the club are in good dialogue with each other and I’ve said I kind of want to stay out of it. I just want to focus on finishing the season well.”
Nisbet would like to see Hibs get a good fee in return for his services.
“Of course I do,” he said. “This is my third season here and I’ve got a good connection with the club. They’ve been great to me so if I can return the investment, that would be great for all parties.”
Nisbet – whose openness about the possibility of leaving has not always endeared him to supporters – is pleased that he will likely leave on good terms with the Hibees after scoring 10 goals since his return from an ACL injury in December, while also snubbing Millwall to stay at Easter Road.
“I’ve loved it,” he said of playing in front of the Hibs fans. “There’s been a wee bit of ups and downs between me and the supporters.
“But after coming back from the injury, I think I’ve created that connection back with the fans which I’ve been delighted about because it did hurt me a lot when I didn’t really have that connection with the fans.
“I love the club. The club has been good to me and I’ve been good to the club so it will be good to see the supporters out in force (against Celtic).”
Asked if he felt he had been vindicated in staying at Hibs instead of signing for Millwall, Nisbet said: “Yeah, of course. I wanted to come back and stay and play well.
“I’ve been there before where January moves have fallen through and I think I didn’t deal with it previously as well as I did this time.
“I wanted to come back and enjoy my football – and I have.”
Having been sidelined by injury from February to December last year, Nisbet feels he is now back in prime condition and ready to be considered for a Scotland recall for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Georgia next month.
“It’s been an enjoyable return to play,” he said. “I don’t think a lot of people expected me to come back the way I did.
“I’ve probably come back a better player as well. I knew in my head I would but there were a lot of doubters so it’s good to silence the doubters a bit as well.
“It was a long and very lonely nine months out but I put in a lot of hard work and I think people can see with my performances how hard I actually worked.
“The last Scotland camp (in March) was maybe a bit too soon because I was only a few months into my return to play but I’ve had a good five, six months now and I feel better physically.
“I’m sharper and fitter than ever, so hopefully I get selected.”
Conte hopes for Ranieri's success at Roma after Napoli clash
Antonio Conte hopes that everything will go well for Claudio Ranieri after he came out of retirement to take charge of Roma, but only after their Serie A clash this weekend.
Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.
A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.
"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.
"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.
"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."
The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.
"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.
"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.
"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."
After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).
Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.
"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.
"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."
'It's a shame' - Alonso confirms Leverkusen's Boniface out with thigh injury
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso confirmed that Victor Boniface will be sidelined for some time after picking up a thigh injury on international duty with Nigeria.
Boniface, who has scored eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions this season, was replaced late on in the Super Eagles' 2-1 defeat to Rwanda on Monday.
It is another blow for Leverkusen, who have managed 17 points from 10 games so far this season, the worst start to a league campaign in 12 years by a defending champion.
Only Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane (both 11) have scored more goals in the league than Boniface this term (six).
Alonso revealed that the 23-year-old will miss Saturday's Bundesliga encounter against Heidenheim and their Champions League tie against RB Salzburg next week.
"We will have to see how long he will be out. It is a shame," Alonso told a press conference.
"He has a thigh injury. For tomorrow, for Salzburg and maybe a bit longer. We will have to wait and see.
"It is too early to say but we hope he can still play this year. We have to see with the recovery and improvement but it is not a matter of six or eight weeks."
Leverkusen have dropped points in six Bundesliga games already this season (D5, L1), as often as they did during the entirety of their 2023-24 title-winning campaign (D6).
They come into this weekend's fixture against Heidenheim on a three-game winless run in the Bundesliga (D3), the first time they have gone this long without a victory since between April and May 2023 (five games).
Leverkusen sit fourth in the Bundesliga, already nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich as the busy festive schedule kickstarts on Saturday.
Alonso's side have eight games in just under a month, including a DFB-Pokal round of 16 clash with Bayern at the start of December.
"Eight games in four weeks. It is nothing new for us," Alonso said. "An intense phase is coming up for us and it starts tomorrow.
"We have clear goals for the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the German Cup."
Object thrown at City striker 'Bunny' Shaw in Champions League win over Hammarby sparks UEFA investigation
UEFA has opened an investigation after Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw was hit by an object during their Women’s Champions League win against Swedish side Hammarby on Thursday.
The towering Jamaican striker scored both goals in City’s 2-1 win at the Stockholm Arena to see her side through to the quarterfinal stage.
Her animated celebration in front of the home fans after her first goal saw the 27-year-old being booked, with replays also showing an object seemingly thrown her way from the stands.
“Proceedings have been opened against Hammarby IF for throwing of objects (Article 16(2)(b) of the Disciplinary Regulations),” UEFA said in a statement.
“Manchester City player Khadija Shaw received a yellow card following her goal presentation for unsporting conduct,” the statement added.
Following the game, City captain Alex Greenwood chided match broadcaster DAZN for failing to mention the incident in a social media post.
The post on X, external said Shaw “antagonised” the home fans and received “stick” from them.
Greenwood replied, "Correction. Travel to Stockholm, score a big goal. Celebrates her goal. Gets objects thrown at her.”
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