Hibernian could turn to Paddy McCourt in a bid to repair their disastrous start to the new season as pressure mounts on manager Pat Fenlon.
McCourt, who briefly played under Fenlon at Derry City in 2007, trained with the Easter Road club yesterday following his departure from Celtic this summer.
The 29-year-old, who played his last game for Celtic in May's Scottish Cup final victory over Hibs, completed a successful trial with Peterborough United last month and is still wanted by the League One side; Darren Ferguson, their manager, recently declared: "We've not given up".
Birmingham City as well as clubs in Russia and Australia are amongst the other suitors linked with the Northern Ireland internationalist, but it is believed that McCourt may have his heart set on America.
The one-time Rochdale and Shamrock Rovers winger was apparently offered a contract by San Jose Earthquakes in June; the Major League Soccer season, however, doesn't start until next March, leaving McCourt available to sign a short-term contract at another club.
McCourt, whose international colleagues Ryan McGivern and James McPake would also become club team-mates should he agree a deal, remains friendly with Fenlon and, with compatriot Jimmy Nicholl also on the coaching staff, McCourt is said to have approached his training stint at the club's East Mains base in East Lothian with a flexible attitude.
A source said: "Paddy's training with Hibs with an open mind. He has a good relationship with Pat Fenlon; the two of them get on very well together. He's there to train and have a look at things and then we'll see what happens."
Despite misgivings over his fitness and ability to last a full 90 minutes during his time with Celtic, McCourt's skill and ability have rarely been questioned and would give Fenlon's Hibs squad something different.
Although the likes of Owain Tudur Jones, Kevin Thomson, Liam Craig, Scott Robertson and Tom Taiwo are all comfortable on the ball and good passers, the Easter Road squad currently lacks the cutting edge so often provided by Leigh Griffiths last season.
Alex Harris made a huge impact in the closing weeks of the campaign but has struggled with injury and form so far this term and was sent for a scan on the ankle that was hurt in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Motherwell.
The 18-year-old was relieved to learn there were no broken bones, but the swelling was too bad to determine whether there had been any ligament damage until a further x-ray was completed.
With Sunday's Edinburgh derby already pivotal for Fenlon and his team following their 7-0 home loss to Malmo in the Europa League, the recruitment - even on a short-term deal - of McCourt would hand supporters and squad a welcome boost ahead of Tynecastle.
But McCourt's agent, his brother Leroy, has confessed that America is the winger's most likely destination, at least in the long-term.
"It's really just to keep his fitness up," he explained. "He knows the manager from their short time together at Derry.
"He's just been in to have a look around and do a bit of training. It's always been the intention to go to America. It's 99 per cent nailed on that he'll go over there."
Meanwhile, Hibs' new signing - he joined after being released by Hearts in the summer - Fraser Mullen has insisted he is ready for the abuse he expects to receive from Hearts fans in Sunday's derby at Tynecastle.
"I know what to expect and I will brace myself for it," he said. "Obviously, I will take a bit of stick, it's part and parcel of the game, and with Tynecastle being such a tight ground I'll be able to hear it all."
The referee on Sunday will be Craig Thomson - taking charge of his first Edinburgh derby since infuriating Hibs fans with a contentious display in their 5-1 Scottish Cup final defeat against Hearts in 2012.
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