Hibernian have started the Nick Montgomery era well, recording just their second Premiership win of the 2023/24 campaign on the weekend as they defeated St Johnstone 2-0.
Having sacked Lee Johnson due to their poor start to the season, former Sheffield United midfielder Montgomery was chosen as the new manager and it could well be a shrewd move by the Edinburgh side, especially if he can achieve similar success to that of his former club, Central Coast Mariners.
The 41-year-old will be hoping to get the best out of the summer arrivals, including the likes of Dylan Vente, Dylan Levitt, and Elie Youan, who all have the potential to be excellent players if managed right and deployed in the correct positions.
Finishing fifth last season was a poor showing and although the Easter Road side have finished third on just two occasions since the turn of the century, Montgomery will certainly be aiming high in order to improve the mood at the club following an under-par start to the campaign.
Not only can he bring the best out of the new players, but Montgomery will also be able to motivate the established professionals at Hibs and allow them to showcase their abilities.
There is still a lot of quality in the Hibs squad, that with the correct coaching and desire, could push the club onto greater heights than they have been used to recently.
The likes of Martin Doyle, Josh Campbell and Joe Newell could be key to any success during 2023/24 and in Newell in particular, Hibs have certainly struck gold.
How much did Joe Newell cost Hibs?
The midfielder arrived in Scotland in the summer of 2019 following his departure from English side Rotherham and the Premiership side managed to secure his signature for nothing, signing him to a two-year deal in the process.
Paul Heckingbottom, who was the manager at the time, praised Newell on his arrival, saying: “We’re excited to get Joe over the line.
“He’s coming in having played a lot of games at a good level in the English Championship last season and is a threat either out wide or inside.
“Joe can carry the ball up the park and I think he’ll link up well with our other attacking players.
“Joe had several other options so I am delighted that he chose to join us. It is exciting that we can attract players who believe in what we hope to do.”
High praise indeed for a player who had made 144 Championship appearances during his career, exuding a wealth of experience in the English second tier and this was surely going to stand him in good stead moving to the Scottish top flight.
Over the previous four years, Newell has impressed for Hibs and this has seen his current value rise exponentially.
What is Joe Newell’s market value now?
After just six months at Hibs, the Englishman’s market value stood at just €0.3m (£260k) and while they had signed him for nothing, it wasn’t exactly a staggering valuation.
Over the next few years however, this has risen rather swiftly and according to Football Transfers, the midfielder is now currently worth €1.8m (£1.5m) and this represents an impressive rise.
Football Transfers rate the expected transfer value of a player depending on a wide array of factors, including the length of their contract, performance level and the league they play in.
Why is Joe Newell worth this much?
Having established himself as a player who performed well in the Championship, coming to Scotland was certainly a downgrade in quality, thus giving Newell the chance to be one of the standout stars in the division for Hibs.
He made 25 appearances during his maiden term in Edinburgh, registering ten goal contributions – one goal and nine assists – in the process as the season was curtailed due to the pandemic.
His goal involvements did dry up over the following two seasons, recording only six and five respectively, yet he found himself as a key player during this time, making 77 appearances for the club.
Last season, Newell embraced his role in the centre of the midfield as he featured 38 times across all competitions for the club, scoring three goals and grabbing seven assists throughout the campaign, becoming one of Hibs’ finest players in the process.
Indeed, he ranked as their best player in the squad with regard to overall Sofascore rating (7.29) while also ranking fourth for goals and assists (seven), first for big chances created (six), second for key passes per game (2.1) and first for tackles per game (2.5).
These statistics reveal that he impressed significantly, not just in an attacking sense, but also defensively, becoming an integral member of the first team squad as he can chip in with the odd goal and assist, while also creating plenty of chances for others and winning the ball back often during games.
It is no surprise to see his valuation rise to £1.5m then due to these impressive performances during the 2022/23 season and this rich vein of form has continued into the new term, where Newell hasn’t wilted during the turbulent opening weeks.
After just six games, Newell ranks fifth in the Hibs squad for Sofascore rating (7.15), yet he rises to fourth for goals and assists (two), first for big chances created (five) and for key passes per game (two), further demonstrating his creative talents which have led the club to a much higher position than what they would currently be occupying if he wasn’t in the team.
These figures over the previous 12 months suggest Newell is still in his peak years as a footballer and this is certainly reflected in his valuation, which may even rise depending on how well he does during the remainder of the campaign.
Montgomery will just be happy he has a midfielder who can do just about everything from the middle of the pitch and if the time comes soon when the 30-year-old wishes to depart Easter Road, then the club will stand to make a wonderful profit on him.
Hibs have hit the jackpot by luring the £4.1k-per-week maestro north of the border for free and they have reaped the rewards during his four-year stay in the capital, there’s absolutely no doubt about that.
