Hibs head coach Paul Heckingbottom insists he will not rush defender Ryan Porteous back from his knee injury.

The centre-half missed the second half of last season after being forced to go under the surgeon’s knife in January to have the problem mended.

Porteous has been gradually stepping up his rehabilitation but Heckingbottom admits illness has delayed the 20-year-old’s return to action.

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Heckingbottom, who has Martin Boyle back training after the winger was also forced to undergo surgery on a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Australia last December, said: “Ryan was two weeks behind, then he got an illness at the back end of last season, which put him another two weeks behind.

“We’d be foolish to rush him back now, he’ll be ready when he’s ready. But roughly, he’s four weeks behind Boyler.”