Latest news with #Vente
STV News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- STV News
Hibs forward Dylan Vente joins Heerenveen for 'significant fee'
Dylan Vente has completed a permanent transfer from Hibernian to Eredivisie side Heerenveen for 'a significant fee'. The Dutch forward moved to Easter Road two years ago but spent most of last season on loan with FC Zwolle in his homeland, where he scored 13 goals. Vente's form in the Dutch top flight has prompted Heerenveen to make a move to take him back to the Netherlands. The 26-year-old scored 11 goals in 43 appearances for the Hibees and manager David Gray said: 'Dylan performed well in the Eredivisie with PEC Zwolle last season and felt more comfortable back in his homeland, playing football with a smile on his face. 'His time at Hibs didn't quite work out the way we'd all planned, but I'd like to thank him for all his hard work and hope he goes on to achieve his ambitions and full potential.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Done deal: How Hibs bagged £1 million for unwanted striker as exit confirmed
Limited first team options, a year left on contract - so Mackay cashes in to turn tidy profit Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs have completed the sale of Dylan Vente for a fee in excess of £1 million. And sporting director Malky Mackay insists the Easter Road club are 'happy with the deal' struck with Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen. Officially confirming the exit of a 26-year-old striker who spent last season on loan with PEC Zwolle, Hibs confirmed that they'd received 'a significant fee' for Vente, who cost them in excess of £500,000 when signed by Lee Johnson in the summer of 2023. Dutch centre forward Vente, who had been playing in his country's second tier for Roda when he bagged his move to Scotland, faded after an early flurry of goals in green-and-white. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Told he would get limited game time under David Gray when the former captain took over as boss on a permanent basis last summer, Vente was more than happy to join Zwolle on a season-long loan. And he made the most of his opportunity, banging in 13 league goals and earning rave reviews for his performances as PEC finished tenth in the top flight. Heerenveen, who finished just a place above Zwolle, made their interest known towards the end of last season. And, despite being willing to sell a player entering the final year of his contract, Hibs persuaded the buying club to stretch to a seven-figure fee for their top transfer target. Sporting director on Dylan Vente's 'desire' to stay in Holland Mackay said Vente's desire to stay in Holland was a factor, with the Suriname international making his preferences clear, the sporting director revealing: 'There was a lot of interest in Dylan this summer after his performances last season, and he had a clear desire to continue playing and enjoying his football in the Eredivisie. We had to make sure that we got the right deal for Hibernian FC, and after a number of conversations, we're happy with the deal we've got for him. We wish him nothing but the best going forward.' Vente made 43 appearances, scoring 11 goals, during his time with Hibs. He was an early hit at Easter Road, scoring on his debut in a famous Europa Conference League win over FC Luzern at Easter Road. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Following Johnson's dismissal, the attacker then banged in three goals in Nick Montgomery's first three games as gaffer early in season 2023-24. But he only found the net three times over the next eight months as Hibs missed out on a top-six place on the final weekend before the Scottish Premiership split. The arrival of Scotland hopeful Kieron Bowie for a significant fee last summer forced Vente further down the pecking order as new gaffer Gray looked for a change of style at the top end of the team. Mykola Kuharevich also returned to Easter Road for another loan spell, while the acquisition of veteran free agent Dwight Gayle increased competition for places up front. Gray, happy that Vente has found a better fit for his talents, said: 'I'd like to start by wishing Dylan all the best for the future. He was a player that I enjoyed working with on the training pitch and someone that had a real desire to do well. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He performed well in the Eredivisie with PEC Zwolle last season and felt more comfortable back in his homeland, playing football with a smile on his face. His time at Hibs didn't quite work out the way we'd all planned, but I'd like to thank him for all his hard work and hope he goes on to achieve his ambitions and full potential.' In the official statement released this morning, Hibs said: 'We can confirm that Dylan Vente has joined Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen on a permanent transfer. The terms of the 26-year-old's transfer will remain undisclosed, however, the club has received a significant fee.'
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs transfer news as club land over £1 million for fringe forward
Edinburgh side still in talks with Bushiri and Hoilett - and are searching for a new striker Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs will pocket over £1 million for a fringe player who had fallen out of the first-team picture under gaffer David Gray, with Dutch club Heerenveen breaking the seven-figure barrier to land Dylan Vente. The centre forward, who cost the Easter Road club in excess of £500,000 when he was recruited by Lee Johnson in the summer of 2023, is expected to complete his move within the next 48 hours. The 26-year-old, now a full international for Suriname, was allowed to join PEC Zwolle on loan last season after Gray decided that the Dutchman didn't fit into his plans. Vente made the most of his opportunity to play in the Eredivisie, putting up impressive numbers and earning widespread praise for his performances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The former Feyenoord prospect banged in 13 league goals, plus one in the cup, as Zwolle finished tenth in the table. That attracted the interest of Heerenveen, who finished just one place above PEC. Vente an early hit for Johnson AND Monty - but faded fast Vente, who joined Hibs from Dutch second-tier side Roda, was an early hit for Hibs, scoring on his debut in a famous Europa Conference League win over FC Luzern at Easter Road. Following Johnson's dismissal, the attacker then banged in three goals in Nick Montgomery's first three games as gaffer early in season 2023-24 – but only found the net three times over the next eight months as Hibs missed out on a top-six place on the final weekend before the Scottish Premiership split. The arrival of Scotland hopeful Kieron Bowie for a significant fee last summer forced Vente further down the pecking order as new gaffer Gray looked for a change of style at the top end of the team. Mykola Kuharevich also returned to Easter Road for another loan spell, while the acquisition of veteran free agent Dwight Gayle increased competition for places up front. With two years left on his contract at the time, Vente was keen to get game time elsewhere. Zwolle was an option that suited everyone, not least a Hibs football department keen to reduce overall numbers – while making 11 summer signings. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The impending sale of Vente underlines Gray's determination to change up his forward options ahead of the new season. Gayle's retirement, along with Kuharevich signing for Slovan Bratislava earlier this week, leaves Hibs short of bodies at the business end of the park. While a fully fit Bowie and a revitalised Martin Boyle, the latter tied down by a contract extension clause triggered just before the end of last season, represent an ideal first-choice pairing, Gray knows he needs multiple options – beyond Elie Youan – as he looks to compete on two fronts this season. He's still in the market for at least one more striker. Hibs remain in negotiations, meanwhile, with central defender Rocky Bushiri and attacking midfielder Junior Hoilett. Both are now free agents after their Easter Road contracts expired. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bushiri has options in England and Europe – but has NOT definitely decided to leave Hibs. And veteran Canadian international Hoilett is still weighing up his options, with another season at Hibs considered a good option for a player trying to nail down a place in his country's World Cup squad. Sunderland are still talking with Nectar Triantis about his next step after the Australian midfielder's stand-out season with Hibs. Another loan is an option for the Premier League-bound Black Cats, who have put a £1 million price tag on any permanent move for the 22-year-old.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs face decisions over forgotten men still on books but out of picture
Dutch interest in striker - but others stuck in limbo ahead of pre-season Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... They're the other guys. Technically on the books but, for reasons including inexperience, intense competition for places or simply being in entirely the wrong movie, not really part of the bigger picture. Do Hibs persist with Dylan Vente or bite Heerenveen's hand off, should the Dutch club follow up their early interest? That's not as simple a question as it seems, despite the player himself publicly agitating – in a very gentle and polite way – for a permanent move after a really impressive season-long loan spell with PEC Zwolle. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What next for Jair Tavares? More of a clear-cut issue, potentially. And did anyone even remember that Allan Delferriere was still a Hibs employee? You couldn't be blamed for overlooking some of the players who spent last season – or a significant chunk of the campaign, at least – out on loan. Given the size of squad inherited by first-year head coach David Gray and sporting director Malky Mackay, they couldn't possibly get rid of every unwanted asset in their first season. With the transfer window open again as of this morning, and the bulk of the first-team squad reporting for pre-season training on Friday, then, there are still a few senior professionals in limbo. We take a look at the former regulars now completely out of the picture – and ask if there is any way back. Dylan Vente ripping it up in Eredivisie Scouting is hard. Talent identification is complicated. And a morning spent taking a look at this guy called Dylan Vente merely underlines the point. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If the Dutchman hadn't been signed by Lee Johnson, for a fee in excess of £500,000 in the summer of 2023, he'd almost certainly be on the radar of someone in the recruitment department at Hibernian. A few hours invested in a basic review of his season-long loan with PEC Zwolle underlines the dangers of data-led talent ID, and the importance of environment as a factor in any player assessment. The numbers racked up by Vente, now a full international for Suriname, over the course of the campaign are impressive enough. Sitting fifth in the Eredivisie scoring charts with 13 league goals, plus one in the cup, you can see why clubs would want to take a look at the 26-year-old. Anyone studying the Wyscout clips, meanwhile, could only come away impressed with what they see. Including deadly finishing with left foot, right foot – and even a header. Over the course of a campaign that saw PEC finish tenth in Holland's top flight, Vente scored with tight-angle finishes at the near post, tap-ins at the back post, made clever runs and dribbled past defenders … someone really should sign this guy. The issues that worked against Vente in Scotland remain, though. He's still not the greatest at pressing and winning the ball, a key element for anyone looking to play up front. And might be just a little lightweight for the Scottish Premiership. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fortunately for both Hibs and the player himself, it looks as if Heerenveen – who finished one place above PEC in the league – are interested in keeping the former Feyenoord prospect in his homeland. With a year left on his contract, it makes sense for Vente to move on. Hibs shouldn't be too difficult to deal with. Motherwell loan spell did nothing for Jair Tavares Frustrating and baffling. That's the best way to sum up of not merely Jair Tavares' season-long loan with Motherwell – but his entire Hibs career to date. To recap, Lee Johnson hailed the Tavares signing as 'a real coup' when the Easter Road club signed the winger from Benfica, where he'd become established in the B team, in the summer of 2022. By the time Nick Montgomery arrived to replace Johnson as manager in September of 2023, however, Tavares had been completely frozen out of the first team squad. Initially recalled and revitalised under Monty, Tavares faded and then fell out of the picture when David Gray took over last summer. Was promptly sent to Fir Park. And made just two starts in an injury-affected campaign. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Still under contract for another year, it's hard to see how the 24-year-old winger fits into the Hibs team. Especially if they stick to the 3-4-1-2/3-5-2 formation that served them so well over the second half of last season. Who remembers Allan Delferriere? Really? He's still on the books? You might have missed him in the retained list released by Hibs at the end of the season. Which would be understandable, despite the Belgian having been at Easter Road since 2022. He spent last season on loan in Luxembourg, helping Racing Union finish fourth in the league. Before that, he'd been on loan in the Czech Republic with MFK Vyskov for six months. Rewarded with a new contract in 2023, having spent a season with Edinburgh City, Delferriere still has a year to run on his current deal. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Used mainly as a central defender by Racing, Delferriere – who came through the ranks at Standard Liege – was seen more as a midfielder at Hibs. Expect another loan deal, or something more permanent, for the 23-year-old. The kids are all right … just not right now All of the above are senior pros. Does that apply to some of the young players who might struggle for game time this season? Kanayo Megwa has just done a full season with Partick Thistle, the 21-year-old making it all the way to the Premiership play-off semi-finals with the Jags. Looking at right back/right wingback, though, he might struggle to get in ahead of Chris Cadden and/or Lewis Miller. Another loan, then? Megwa is under contract with Hibs until 2028, indicating a certain degree of faith in his potential. And Gray was gaffer when the club handed the young Englishman a four-year extension last summer, suggesting he recognises the kid's ability. Going to be interesting to see what happens. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There are other youngsters on the books more likely to spend the season – or at least part of it – elsewhere, with goalie Murray Johnson and right back Rory Whittaker both in that category.
