'Constantly moving' - Manager addresses efforts to strike permanent deal for Sunderland loanee
Nectar Triantis has impressed for Hibernian this season.
Hibernian manager David Gray has admitted that his side’s efforts to retain the services of Sunderland loanee Nectar Triantis are “constantly moving” as the summer transfer window looms ever larger.
The Australian has enjoyed a breakout campaign at Easter Road and has played a vital role in Hibs’ ongoing push towards European qualification, establishing himself as a vital presence in the centre of midfield, and earning affectionate comparisons to Ballon d’Or winner Rodri from the local support in Edinburgh.
It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that there is a growing clamour north of the border for Hibernian to find a way of keeping him around beyond the end of his current stint at the club, and to that end, head coach Gray has admitted that avenues of communication with Sunderland remain open.
What has Hibernian boss David Gray said about Nectar Triantis’ future at Easter Road?
In a recent press conference, as quoted by the Edinburgh Evening News, Gray made no secret of his desire to retain Triantis if possible, stating: “It’s constantly moving all the time just now. Nectar’s obviously contracted to Sunderland, so that'll be communication between now and the end of the season. There's always communication between the clubs anyway, because we're looking after the player and trying to develop the player.”
The article goes on to suggest that “Hibs will explore a number of different methods, from another loan arrangement to a possible permanent move, as they look to get a deal done”.
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What has Nectar Triantis said about his Sunderland future?
Triantis himself has been away on international duty with Australia this month, and speaking at a pre-match presser down under, the 21-year-old provided a non-committal answer on his long-term future. He said: "My parent club is Sunderland but I've got a good soft place for Hibs because I've spent an extended time there on loan, now extending to 18 months overall. So I've had a good time with Hibs, and I just have to see in the summer what happens. That's another goal of mine - to be in the Premier League, the best league in the world. I think that's where all players aspire to be.
"So it'd be a great thing for me, personally to get promoted into the Premier League, and from there, I have to work as hard as I can to earn my spot in that team. It's probably one of the best compliments you can get (being called by fans the ‘Aussie Rodri’ So it's good to hear and I can definitely feel the love. That love from the fans really pushes me on and helps me. I just have to keep my head down and working hard till I get that opportunity. You can't let yourself down by having a weak mentality. So I just have to keep on pushing hard and waiting for my opportunity."