Jacob Devaney Aims for Titles with Hibernian
Jacob Devaney has made it clear he has not come to Edinburgh just to develop – he wants medals.
The 19-year-old midfielder has joined Hibernian on loan from Manchester United, with the Easter Road club holding an option to make the move permanent, and his ambitions are already aligned with the demands of Leith.
“I know the expectation of Hibs, of the fans,” he told HibsTV. “I want to push for titles, whether that's the league or cups, and obviously getting to Europe as well.”
United prospect with unfinished Scottish business
Devaney spent last season on loan at St Mirren, a spell that hardened him to the physical edge of the Scottish game and gave him a first real taste of Premiership intensity. This time, he arrives with a stronger profile after impressing during pre-season back at Manchester United.
Those performances for the Red Devils have not dulled his appetite for Scotland. If anything, they sharpened it.
“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.”
Hibs have already moved to protect their position with the option to buy, a sign of how highly they rate the teenager’s ceiling and how central he could become to David Gray’s plans.
Drawn by size, stage and Europe
Devaney has only been at East Mains for a couple of days, but the first impressions have hit home quickly.
“I'm really excited to be here,” he said. “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 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.”
That European carrot matters. Hibs are pushing to secure continental football again, and Devaney wants to be at the centre of that push, not watching from the fringes in Manchester.
“I can dominate the ball”
For a 19-year-old, Devaney talks like someone who expects to take responsibility, not shelter behind senior pros.
“I can dominate the ball and hopefully get us playing,” he said. “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.”
Gray will welcome that. Hibs have needed more control in midfield, more personality in possession, someone willing to take the ball under pressure and dictate the tempo. Devaney believes he can be that player.
He has chosen a club where expectation bites quickly, where talk of titles and Europe is not just a soundbite but a standard to be judged against. Now comes the real test: can a teenager from Manchester United turn bold words into silverware in green and white?
