Arsenal and Chelsea have reportedly been credited with an interest in SFW’s Young Player of the Year, Josh Doig of Hibernian this summer.
According to The Scotsman, Josh Doig has become a subject of major interest in the transfer market, following his breakthrough campaign in the Premiership. The Hibernian left-back is already courted heavily by newly-promoted Premier League outfit Watford, although they are set to face stiff competition from London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.
A product of the Hearts of Midlothian youth academy, Doig has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence at Hibernian FC this season. He has become a regular first-team member of the Scottish outfit, racking up an impressive 24 appearances in the Premiership this term.
The 19-year-old left-back’s contributions helped his side finish third in the league table, behind Celtic and the unbeaten Rangers, with the player also being voted as the Young Player of the Year by Scottish Football Writer’s Association.
Doig’s performances have not gone unnoticed either, as evidenced by the interest from Arsenal, who are in the market for a new left-back, due to their lack of depth in the particular department.
The Gunners are expected to offload multiple players this summer, including Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who has been linked with a shock move to Manchester United. It leaves Kieran Tierney as the only viable option for Mikel Arteta in the left-back position, thus making Doig an ideal target for the north London giants.
The young 19-year-old could be an excellent understudy to his fellow countryman, and given Tierney’s problems with injuries and ever-increasing fixture list, there could be a huge opportunity for Doig to make an impact in the Premier League with Arsenal next season.
Chelsea, though, could make a stronger case as they too are in the market for a left-back, as Thomas Tuchel looks to move on from Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso, with the latter reportedly emerging as a potential target for Borussia Dortmund.
Although the Blues are unlikely to offload all three of them, Doig may still get a fresh start at Stamford Bridge, especially considering Tuchel’s track record of focusing on the development of young players. It is also why the the Chelsea boss is eyeing a move for another defensive talent in Maxence Lacroix this summer.
At the end of the day, though, Doig might just favour a move to a relatively weaker side like Watford ahead of Chelsea or Arsenal, in search of more consistent game-time. Meanwhile, Hibernian, too, are very determined to keep hold of their prized asset, so it won’t be surprising to see the 19-year-old ending up remaining in Scotland for another season at least.