Coventry City fan favourite Marc McNulty has returned to Reading after his loan-spell with hometown club Hibernian.
The Scottish football season has now ended due to the coronavirus crisis with Celtic being crowned champions once again, bringing the striker's time back home to an abrupt end.
The 27-year-old tweeted: "Always a pleasure to come back and play for Hibernian. Thanks for having me. What a top club with even better people around it. All the best."
His return to Hibs proved relatively successful, hitting four goals in eight games - but he will now return to a Championship club where he has in the past been told he is no longer wanted.
So where next for the man who hit a stellar 28 goals for the Sky Blues as they stormed to promotion out of League Two? Will he return to Hibernian or will he have other offers on the table?
Scottish Weeklies sports editor, Matthew Elder, who has watched McNulty closely during his time north of the border, said: "While the player hails from Edinburgh, supports Hibs and loves playing for the club, there are several stumbling blocks when it comes to making the move to Easter Road a permanent one.
"McNulty has two years left to run on his deal with his parent club, Reading, who paid £1m to sign him, so any transfer would likely involve a fee.
"With McNulty also believed to be on a good contract at the English Championship side, where the average wage greatly exceeds any offer Hibs could make, then the player would have to be willing to accept a drop in salary, at a time of great financial uncertainty, to return to his home city.
"He may be considered surplus to requirements at the Madejski Stadium, but at 27, he will still have ambitions of doing well in England, where he is a proven goalscorer at League One level following prolific spells with Sheffield United and Coventry City, and would likely have a number of suitors.
"Unless Reading cut their losses, pay up his contract and allow him to leave, a third loan spell might be his best and perhaps only route back to Easter Road, preferably on a season-long deal, which would benefit the player in terms of his aspirations of getting back into the Scotland squad."
Coventry boss Mark Robins has remained in contact with McNulty, even during his brief spell with Sunderland.
The Sky Blues boss teased fans, who still hold the forward in high regard, during January transfer window that a return could be on the cards after McNulty spoke publically about his affection for his former manager.
McNulty told the Nii Lamptey Show podcast : "Mark Robins was always brilliant with me and I still speak to him, and Ady [Viveash] now and again.
"He was brilliant with me, the gaffer. It is always easy when a striker isn't playing so well for the manager to drop you but I will always remember the manager doing little finishing drills with me after training and telling me that I was doing the right things.
"It was every day, honestly. He put my mind at ease. He was brilliant, really good."
When asked about the calls, Robins responded: "All I will say on it is that he was brilliant when he was here.
"He’s a great lad. I really like him and I wish him all the best, and I look forward to his next call.”
