Hibs Chairman Rod Petrie: Benji won't be back!

Last updated : 26 January 2009 By Steve Forbes

benjiinteractive.jpg picture by 1875steve

Hibs chairman Rod Petrie has today insisted that it is very unlikely that awol forward Abdessalam Benjelloun would be back at the club.

The 23-year-old Moroccan hit man has been absent from Easter Road since his loan with Belgian side RSC Charleroi came to an end.

Benji failed to report back to the clubs East Mains training facility, and now Hibs Chief Petrie has revealed that the club is actively trying to find a new club for the player.

Petrie said:

"Representatives for him had our permission for a leave of absence to try to get him an alternative club and they are in the process of doing so at the moment."

Benjelloun currently has 18 months left on his contract at the Hibees, so the club would be looking for a fee for the player should interest arise.

United Arab Emirates club Al Shaab had shown an interest in taking the Benji on loan until the end of the season, and team him up with fellow loaned out Hibs player and Moroccan Merouane Zemmama, but the UAE side have pulled out the deal.

There was also said to be interest from Belgian giants Anderlecht and also Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kiev, but currently no bid has been received for the want away star.

Thanks once again to Alan Rennie and the Hibernian Interactive team for the use of the photo.

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