Devaney Aims for Titles After Hibs Loan from Manchester United

Jacob Devaney has not come to Edinburgh to make up the numbers. The 19-year-old midfielder, freshly arrived on loan from Manchester United, is talking about titles, Europe and leadership – and he is doing it without blinking.

Hibernian have secured the teenager on a season-long deal with an option to buy, a significant show of faith in a player who spent last term on loan at St Mirren and has just come off an eye-catching pre-season with the Old Trafford club.

"I'm really excited to be here," he told HibsTV, still fresh from his first sessions under David Gray. "I've been in training the past two days and I've really enjoyed it - the feel of the club and the training ground."

The move is no shot in the dark. Devaney already knows Scottish football, knows the pace, the physical edge, the scrutiny. That experience, and the scale of Hibernian, pulled him back north.

"The size of the club [was what attracted me]. Playing here last season played a big part in me coming here and European competition as well - hopefully we qualify on Thursday night.

"I know the expectation of Hibs, of the fans. I want to push for titles, whether that's the league or cups, and obviously getting to Europe as well."

That is the language supporters want to hear: not settling, not easing his way in, but talking about trophies at a club that craves a return to those stages.

For Devaney, the decision to leave the comfort of Manchester United’s set-up again was a calculated one. He is convinced the Scottish game and Hibs’ approach suit him.

"It was definitely the right decision for me to come up to Scotland," he said. "I suit the style of play and I see Hibs being the next step in my journey."

He is not shy about what he believes he brings either. Devaney talks like someone intent on grabbing responsibility rather than waiting for it to be handed to him.

"I can dominate the ball and hopefully get us playing. I see myself as a bit of a leader so I'd like to think I can bring that side of my game to Hibs as well."

For Gray, trying to mould a side capable of challenging domestically and making a dent in Europe, that blend of technical confidence and personality in a 19-year-old is exactly the point of this deal.

Hibs now have an ambitious Manchester United midfielder in their engine room, an option to keep him permanently, and a player openly targeting trophies in green and white. The question is simple: can the club match the scale of his ambition this season?