Kevin Nisbet has described a move to Birmingham City in the previous transfer window that almost happened as a 'massive opportunity', but is now fully focused on moving forward with Hibernian.

Nisbet joined Hibs in the summer from Dunfermline, having scored 18 times in 25 outings in the second tier of Scottish football in the 2019/20 season.

The 24-year-old's goalscoring form continued in the top flight as he'd scored 11 goals in 23 Scottish Premiership outings by mid-January, which saw clubs south of the border linked with his signature.

Manager Jack Ross was reluctant to let his prized possession go with Sunderland rumoured to be sniffing around the striker, but it was Birmingham City who led the way by the end of the transfer window.

Having already secured Aberdeen's Sam Cosgrove, the Blues set their sights on Nisbet but even after the player handed in a transfer request, Birmingham's final £3 million offer was rejected and he remains a Hibs player for the rest of this season.

Not one to be downbeat about such a move falling through, Nisbet has knuckled down and got himself back into the Hibernian team, even getting a first call-up to the Scotland squad for the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, and he's now finally broken his silence over the failed transfer to the Midlands club.

 

 

 

 

“At the time it was a massive opportunity for me and it didn’t work out. That’s football," Nisbet told the Glasgow Times.

“The day after the transfer window, I put it behind me and my attitude was spot on. That’s the reason I’m back in the team and scoring goals.

“Even all through January and after, the aftercare I got from Jack Ross and all the backroom staff was great. It made that time a lot easier."

The Verdict

Blues fans were very keen for the club to get a deal for Nisbet over the line, especially when he showed his determination to make it happen by handing in a transfer request, but despite their best efforts it didn't happen.

Could Nisbet have added a few more goals to what Birmingham have got since the window closed? We'll never know, but they were never scoring many goals under Aitor Karanka anyway and his system may have nullified Nisbet's goalscoring abilities.

If he scores more goals between now and the end of the season, then there could be a tug of war for Nisbet in the summer and Hibs are far more likely to accept the kind of offer they rejected from Birmingham in the off-season rather than halfway through a campaign.