Arsenal and Manchester City are reportedly among a host of Premier League clubs interested in Hibernian teenager Josh Doig.
According to a report from The Sun, Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City are keeping close tabs on Hibernian FC’s teenage defender Josh Doig and could launch a move to secure his transfer in the summer.
Doig, 18, came through the youth ranks at Hibs’ Edinburgh rivals, Hearts but made the switch to Easter Road in the summer of 2019 after he was released from his boyhood club. The young left-back spent the first half of last season with the reserves before being loaned out to Queen’s Park for the second half of the campaign.
Upon returning, Doig has been thrust into the first-team at Hibernian by manager Jack Ross and he has made the most of his opportunities. So far in his debut season with the Hibs, the 18-year-old has racked up 24 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, scoring one goal and setting up four more, as his team look set for a third-place finish.
Doig’s growth over the past year or so has alerted a host of clubs down south in England. The likes of Leicester City, Leeds United have all scouted the teenage defender, as have two of the Big Six clubs in Arsenal and Manchester City.
Arsenal’s interest in Doig first emerged in January earlier this year, when it was claimed that the Gunners, along with fellow London club, Chelsea, were monitoring the Hibs’ left-back. And, it seems like the north Londoners have continued to keep tabs on the 18-year-old’s development since. Understandably so, given the need for a new left-back at the Emirates.
Sead Kolasinac is no longer a part of the manager’s plans and was loaned out in January. This has left Arsenal with Kieran Tierney as the only natural left-back in the squad. While Cedric has been used as a makeshift left-back, it has not always yielded the desired results.
So, bringing in a new left-back is likely to be a priority for Arteta & co. next summer. Arsenal are already said to be in talks to sign Feyenoord’s Tyrell Malacia but seem to be keeping their options, with Doig also emerging as a viable transfer target.
As for Manchester City, despite the promise that Benjamin Mendy has shown since his big-money move from AS Monaco, the Frenchman remains a liability due to his frequent fitness and injury problems. Furthermore, he has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Joao Cancelo, despite his great season so far, is much more at home on the right side. Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has featured quite regularly this term, is not a natural left-back either. So, signing someone like Doig, who, with experience, can grow into the first-team role at the Etihad would make sense for Pep Guardiola & co.
Doig is tied down to Hibernian till the summer of 2025. However, the Scottish giants are aware of the interest coming in from the Premier League clubs for the £1.5 million-rated teenager. It now remains to be seen if either Arsenal or Manchester City decide to swoop in for the Scottish youth international.
