Josh Mulligan didn’t exactly set out to become one of the most talked-about Scottish midfielders on English clubs’ summer shopping lists. But after a year where he went from rotation piece to near-ever-present for Hibernian, that’s exactly where he finds himself.
The 23-year-old is drawing real interest from three English sides. West Ham, Wolves and Southampton have all made initial inquiries about the Hibernian midfielder, sources confirmed. It’s not hard to see why. Mulligan spent last season looking like a guy who outgrew the Scottish Premiership — not by being flashy, but by being everywhere at once.
He logged five assists and a goal, sure. But that undersells it. His real value was in how comfortable he looked doing the ugly stuff and then turning it into transition. Breaking up plays. Picking his head up and driving forward. That combination of aggression and poise is rare enough that scouts started taking the trip north more often as the season wore on.
Here’s where it gets interesting for West Ham specifically. The Hammers have been dealing with the reality that Mateus Fernandes almost certainly leaves this summer. Manchester United wants him. The price tag is around £80 million, but United has been dragging its feet over the structure of the deal. West Ham, meanwhile, is already looking at Mulligan as a potential replacement — a younger, cheaper option who could grow into that role rather than trying to fill it immediately.
Wolves have their own reasons. After back-to-back seasons that ended in relegation scares — and one that actually dropped them down — they’re reshaping the squad with an eye toward younger, more athletic bodies. Mulligan fits that profile better than most names being floated in the market right now.
Southampton’s situation is a little different. They’re deep in a longer rebuild and looking for value deals domestically. Mulligan checks that box. His contract still has three years left, so Hibernian doesn’t have to sell, and they’re not panicking. But they’re also not naive. They know the offers are coming, probably in the next few weeks.
Mulligan has experience at youth level for Scotland and has shown he can handle a heavy workload. For a team looking for a midfielder who can cover ground without needing the ball to be effective, he’s a logical target.
Right now it’s a question of who actually puts a formal offer on the table first. Hibernian has been here before with young players drawing English interest. They know how this works. And they’re ready.
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