Hibernian have been linked with Reading’s Marc McNulty.
Hibernian manager Paul Heckingbottom has admitted that signing Reading’s Marc McNulty either on loan or on a permanent deal is proving difficult to get done, the BBC report.
“We know we want them [Marc McNulty and Stephane Omeonga], but it’s really difficult to get them done. There was no way we were paying the original asking price. We had to wait to see if we can get them on loan, but there comes a point where you have to get on with your own business,” Heckingbottom explained.
Reading signed McNulty from Coventry City last summer in a deal worth around £1.2 million.
The 26-year-old striker, however, struggled to get going in the Championship and when Jose Gomes replaced Paul Clement as manager midway through the season, Reading reportedly made him available.
McNulty ended up joining Hibs on loan in January. He scored seven Scottish Premiership goals in 15 games for the Edinburgh club, prompting calls from supporters to re-sign him for the 2019/20 campaign.
Heckingbottom’s comments, however, suggest Hibs don’t have the cash to match Reading’s original fee for him and a return on loan next season may not be in the Royals’ best interests right now.
The Scottish Sun claimed last month that McNulty is determined to push through a permanent move to Hibs. However, he still has three years remaining on his Reading contract which adds to the difficulty of the deal.
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