Hibs may not have much of a choice with Lewis Miller transfer despite recent developments

Both Blackburn Rovers and newly-promoted Charlton Athletic are reported to have had bids in the region of £1million rejected for Miller, whose stock is high after a strong 2024/25 campaign.

Miller has established himself as a first-team regular under current head coach David Gray at Hibs and is also a starter at international level under Tony Popovic with Australia. He played more than 40 matches for club and county last season - by far his greatest total in his senior career.

The 24-year-old is an imposing, right-sided defender who can play right-back, right wing-back or as a right-sided centre-half in back three. He is quick and athletic, and has all the physical attributes to play at a high level.

Hibs signed Miller from A-League side Central Coast Mariners in 2022 and handed him a three-year deal. He initially struggled to settle at Easter Road and was not helped by injury issues, but for the past two years he has become more valuable at first-team level. He began to flourish under his ex-boss at Mariners in Nick Montgomery, which is when he won the first of his ten Socceroos caps, and has kicked on impressively in Gray’s set-up.

Miller’s progress prompted Hibs to trigger an extension to his contract back in May. They held a one-year option and given his form, it was a no-brainer move. However, there has always been an acceptance within the Easter Road hierarchy that they would be fielding bids for him this summer, and that taking up the option would at least secure financial reward.

Miller’s level has improved significantly

Miller has improved markedly with his decision-making and in-game intelligence over the past year. He was vilified by some Australia fans last year for a rash tackle against South Korea in the Asian Cup to concede a stoppage-time penalty when the Socceroos were leading 1-0. They went on to lose 2-1, bringing all manner of social media abuse the defender’s way.

It is testament to his mentality that he has kicked on ever since. At international level, Popovic sees him as a regular - he has been a fixture in Australia’s World Cup successful qualification campaign. Barring any misfortune with injury, he will be on the plane to USA, Canada and Mexico next summer for football’s marquee tournament.

Other clubs are starting to take notice. Hibs’ run from bottom of the Premiership to third place brought plenty of curious glances towards the squad and Miller’s age, profile and potential makes him an attractive proposition to suitors. His physique and stamina means he is well-suited to the rigours of the Championship, which is a marathon of a league. It is no surprise that the concrete offers have come from there.

Hibs would like to have more length on Miller’s contract, but given the interest in him right now, negotiations with him and his representatives would not be easy. Gray does not want to lose one of the key components of his back-three, but he knows how this game works. Hibs have already been lining up potential replacements - including former defender and Scotland internationalist Ryan Porteous, who appears out of the picture at Watford.

Miller’s earning potential would be far greater down south and after three years in Scotland, he may feel it is time to step up to the next level. With his contract where it is and given Hibs made a loss of £7.2m in its last accounts, a transfer this summer seems inevitable unless they can make a significant breakthrough with any fresh contract negotiations. If not, it is up to the board to squeeze as much value out of any deal for one of its most in-demand commodities.