Hibs boss Lee Johnson has admitted that a recent red card means that Rangers-linked defender Ryan Porteous could be about to play in his final game for the Edinburgh club.
The Gers are one of several players who’ve been linked with a move for the Scotland international centre-back, who at 23-years-old has already announced his intention to move on from Easter Road when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Despite experiencing several run-ins with the Rangers team and the Ibrox faithful, links between the Gers and the centre-back have persisted in recent weeks.
Not that everyone is buying apparent Rangers interest in Ryan Porteous, or Ryan Porteous interest in Rangers.
Ryan Porteous lines up final Hibs game amid Rangers links
The defender himself has previously talked up the prospect of moving away from Scotland and the likes of Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Norwich City, Watford and Udinese have all been mentioned by the Edinburgh Evening News.
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But whilst Ryan Porteous’ future destination is yet to be confirmed, Lee Johnson admits that the midweek clash with Rangers’ Old Firm rivals Celtic could be the player’s final match in a Hibs shirt.
This is after the defender picked up a yellow card – surprise, surprise – in Rangers’ recent 3-2 victory over the Hibees, in which Porteous also scored.
“It doesn’t feel like it at this moment in time, but of course football changes really quickly and it would only take a big offer to come in,” explains Lee Johnson [Sky Sports].
“The club would have to consider it and the powers that be decide whether or we take that. So we have to be ready.
“There’s a succession plan in place. We have to enjoy him while we’ve got him, while he is performing and while he’s showing the attitude he is day in, day out.”
Something tells us Ryan Porteous won’t be moving to Rangers, but so long as the story continues to rumble we’ll continue to follow it.
Meanwhile, Rangers have just been handed a major firepower boost.