Daniel Mackay has completed his transfer to Hibs.
The 20-year-old has been in huge demand during his time at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and has attracted the interest of a number of Premiership clubs in recent weeks, however, Mackay – who has featured for Scotland at U19 and Schoolboy level – believes his future lies at Easter Road and has been impressed by the club’s facilities and ambition.
After sealing the deal on a contract running until 2025, Mackay spoke to the club website about his decision.
“I just saw the way the manager has been playing football,” he said.
“It’s brilliant, both the way Hibs play football and the way the manager wants to play football and having come and seen the facilities, it made me want to come to the club even more.
“It’s a massive club in a massive city, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Daniel visited the Hibernian Training Centre to meet his new team-mates.
“It’s a four-year deal so hopefully I can reward the club and repay the faith they’ve shown in me. Hopefully I can repay the contract they’ve given me and when the supporters get back they can see the player they’ve signed. Hibs are one of the biggest clubs in Scotland and hopefully we can win a few cups and maybe challenge for a league at some point as well.”
Homegrown Mackay is viewed by many at Inverness as the next Ryan Christie, who left the club six years ago for Celtic after also coming through the youth set-up.
On those comparisons though, he said: “I’ve been at Inverness since I was a young boy, I’ve come through the youth team, made my debut at 16 and now kicked on a wee bit since then to get my move here, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.
“To be honest I’m more of a pacy winger like Martin Boyle, but hopefully I can add something different to the team and hopefully add a few goals as well.
“That’s something I really want to do more of and I can’t wait to get started.”
Mackay, who has made the switch to Hibs despite having a year left on his Inverness contract, broke into the first team at 16 back in October 2017, and overall has made 57 appearances, scoring 12 goals.
He is both the youngest player and goal-scorer in Caley Thistle’s history at 16 years and 174 days, and also lifted the Challenge Cup in 2018.
Mackay has also scored nine times in 30 appearances this season, and ended the campaign on an impressive run of six goals in 11 matches.
Both clubs had hoped to confirm Dan’s signing last week but things outwith our control meant the deal could not be rubber-stamped until today.
Mackay will proudly wear the club’s number 17 shirt, and head coach Jack Ross is keen to see what his new attacker can do.
“I’m really excited because I think it fits with what we’ve been trying to do with the club for the past year, year-and-a-half now in terms of identifying top young Scottish players who will boost the club,” he told the website.
“Attribute-wise, he’s quick, energetic, scores goals and creates goals so it’s a really good fit for the club. We want to have as many players who carry those attributes here as possible because that’s how we play. I’m delighted we’ve managed to get him here so quickly.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
