Ryan Porteous joins Watford as Hibs and Scotland star completes transfer to English football
RYAN PORTEOUS has completed his move from Hibs to Watford.
The Scotland defender has been a man in demand with several clubs showing an interest after it became evident he'd be leaving Easter Road.
But it's Watford who have won the race to sign him for a fee of around £500,000.
Blackburn Rovers and several clubs on the continent were also keen on signing Porteous.
Hibs have decided to cash-in on one of their star men now rather than losing him for nothing in the summer transfer window ahead.
The Leith side announced back in November that Porteous wouldn't be extending his contract, which was due to run out at the end of the current season.
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Boss Lee Johnson insisted the club had done all they could to try and persuade the centre-back to stay.
SunSport understands that the chance to work with Slaven Bilic at Watford is part of the appeal for Porteous to join the Hornets.
He joins a team that is gunning for promotion to the Premier League this season.
Watford find themselves a long way off the top two, Burnley and Sheffield United, but they are firmly in the race for the play-offs.
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However, it's such a highly competitive season in the Championship with just a few points separating third to the bottom half.
Porteous' exit leaves Hibs with some big issues in defence.
Rocky Bushiri suffered an injury in the Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts in the cup, while Paul Hanlon has also been struggling.
Johnson could therefore look to delve back into the transfer market to bolster his backline before it slams shut until the summer.
In a statement, Hibs said: "We can confirm that Ryan Porteous has joined English Championship side Watford on a permanent deal.
"The Club has received a significant six-figure deal for the defender and has a sell-on clause.
"A product of the Hibs Academy, ‘Porto’ has been at the Club for over a decade and made his debut in 2017 in the League Cup group stages against Montrose.
"The defender was in and around the First Team squad for the following few campaigns before stamping his authority on a regular spot during the 2020/21 campaign as we finished third and reached the Scottish Cup final.
"Last season he helped the Club reach the League Cup final and ended the campaign being named Hibs’ Young Player of the Season.
"He also earned his first cap for Scotland last season and put in a man of the match performance in the UEFA Nations League game against Ukraine.
"Known for giving his all in the Hibs shirt and his passion for the Club, ‘Porto’ went on to make 157 appearances for the Club and scored 13 goals."
Hibs CEO Ben Kensell added: “Ryan has been a fantastic servant for the Club and has been brilliant to deal with over the last few months. When it became clear he wanted to explore his options, we have worked hard to get the best deal for us, but also kept an eye on what is the best move for Ryan to propel his career.
“We’d like to wish him all the best for the future and thank him for his commitment and professionalism.”
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Easter Road gaffer Johnson said: “Porto is a great example of how players from our excellent Academy can progress into the First Team and make a real difference.
“He has a strong will to win, and we will miss him. I have no doubt that he will go on and have a really successful career. We wish him all the best at Watford.”
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