Reports suggest that Ireland prodigy Jacob Devaney could be set to return to the Scottish Premiership on loan from Manchester United.

Devaney is among the brightest prospects in United’s academy, and featured for Michael Carrick’s first team in the early stages of their pre-season travels.

The 19-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Scottish side St Mirren, where he proved an instant hit with the club’s fans for his combative displays in midfield.

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With his minutes becoming more limited as the start of the Premier League season has drawn nearer, there was a growing suspicion that a loan move could be on the cards for the young Irishman.

It now appears as though a return to the SPFL with Hibernian is his most likely destination.

Jacob Devaney linked with Hibs

BBC Sport have reported this morning that Jacob Devaney is in talks with Hibernian over a season-long loan move to the Edinburgh side.

Devaney could link up with fellow Irishmen Owen Elding, Jamie McGrath, and Warren O’Hora on Leith should the loan move materialise.

Hibs are on the verge of their first-ever qualification for the league phase of a European competition, after a 0-0 first-leg draw against Gent in Thursday’s Conference League playoff.

Given how strong Jacob Devaney’s performances were in Scotland last season, it would seem like the perfect destination for a loan move to continue his progression.

A loan move would allow Devaney plenty more minutes in his development – minutes he is unlikely to play at Manchester United, given the added volume in Michael Carrick’s midfield.

Devaney did, though, feature heavily in the opening weeks of United’s pre-season, with most of the club’s first-choice starters returning late after the World Cup.

The Irishman impressed against Wrexham and Rosenborg in the first two friendlies of United’s European tour, scoring his first goal for the club in the latter game.

After the defeat to Wrexham, Devaney earned fulsome praise from manager Michael Carrick, who praised the youngster’s attitude in playing out of position at centre-back.

“JD playing centre-half, it’s not natural to him,” Carrick said.

He’s played there a little bit, but not a lot and I thought he did, did ever so well.

He had a really successful few months up there [on loan in Scotland] and it was good to see him kind of take that next step.

And you could see today the confidence and the assurance in his game, even though he was playing a slightly different position.

He was vocal, he was commanding and, yeah, I liked a lot of what he did there.

Devaney himself showed admirable maturity in the aftermath of that game and his head coach’s praise.

Speaking to the club’s website, Devaney said that his dream was to make it at Manchester United, but that he was under no illusions that a loan move this season may be his best chance of making that a reality.

It’s nice that [Carrick] takes knowledge of what you’re doing and he’s obviously not afraid to throw the youth in. He’s shown that last year. It’s positive to have someone like him in the building…

It’s nice that he takes knowledge of what you’re doing and he’s obviously not afraid to throw the youth in. He’s shown that last year. It’s positive to have someone like him in the building…

So whether I have to go on loan again and gain more valuable experience like I did at St Mirren, or whether that be in the building, learning from the best which is here at Manchester United, we’ll see what happens.

The hope will be that Irish fans can watch Devaney strut his stuff in the United midfield in years to come, but a return to Scotland to continue his development is by no means a bad step.

Born in England to a family of proud Irish origin, Devaney has represented Ireland through his underage career, captaining the U19s and U21s.