Hibs to sign new keeper within days

Last updated : 21 May 2007 By Steve Forbes


Hibs boss John Collins today revealed that the club is on the verge of securing a new goalkeeper for next season.

Collins admitted that he expects a new keeper to sign within the next couple of days.

The Hi-Bees have been linked to quite a few names since January and it now seems they are ready to pounce.

Dunfermline keeper Dorus De Vries, Norwich City keeper Paul Gallacher, Chelsea reserve keeper Yves Makaba Makalamby and Celtic keeper David Marshall have all been linked to Easter Road for the past few months.

Whether it's any of those four remains to be seen but Collins admits an announcement is imminent and that he has a shortlist of two.

The Hibs boss said:

"We are very close, it's between two and we'd hope to have it done in the next couple of days.

"What we are looking for, someone with height, a presence and is excellent with cross balls. That is my No 1 priority."

Hibs season has been ridden with goalkeeper mistakes this season, the most recent being Saturday's soft goal from Celtic, which Andy McNeil let sneak in at the front post, Collins wasn't pleased and said:

"If you ask him a goalkeeper should not be beaten at his near post. It was a poor goal, a long ball up the park which we should have dealt with.

"We want to go forward and make progress next season but we have to eliminate the soft goals."

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