Hibernian Signs Nathan Lowe on Loan from Stoke City

Hibs have landed the striker David Gray has been chasing – and they’ve gone south to get him.

Nathan Lowe, the highly rated Stoke City forward, has joined Hibernian on a season-long loan, arriving in Edinburgh with a growing reputation as a ruthless finisher and a handful for defenders.

Gray has been open all summer about wanting a “physical presence” at the top end of the pitch. Lowe fits that brief and more. At 20, the England Under-19 international already carries the look of a centre-forward who knows exactly where the goal is and doesn’t mind a battle to get there.

A long contract, a short-term mission

Stoke’s faith in him is clear. Lowe made his senior debut for the Championship club in February 2023, then signed a four-and-a-half-year deal the following January. Ahead of this move to the Scottish Premiership, he has agreed an extension tying him to Stoke until 2029.

So this is no shop-window loan. It is a development move for a player Stoke clearly see as part of their long-term future, and a calculated gamble by Hibs that he can deliver now.

His first-team minutes in the Potteries have been limited – eight starts and 21 substitute appearances, with two goals – but the real evidence of his potential has come away from the bet365 Stadium.

Goals, awards and a growing reputation

It was at Walsall in League Two that Lowe properly announced himself. Across 30 appearances he hit 18 goals and laid on seven assists, form that earned him the English League Two Young Player of the Year Award. Those numbers travel. So does that kind of confidence.

Last season he split his time between Stockport County and Wycombe Wanderers, moving up the ladder to League One. He still found his range, scoring 11 across the campaign as he adapted to two different clubs, two different dressing rooms, the same expectation to deliver.

Gray sees exactly what that record brings.

“He brings a great energy and enthusiasm about his play, as well as a physical presence,” the Hibs head coach told his club’s website. “He is a natural goalscorer and he has proven that he can score a range of different types of goals. He has good experience too, having already played a substantial amount of games at a competitive level despite his young age.”

Energy, presence, variety of finishes, competitive minutes before 21 – it is the modern striker’s checklist, and Lowe is ticking it off early.

A different stage, a bigger spotlight

For Stoke, this is about sharpening a talent in a new arena. Sporting director Jonathan Walters believes the grounding in Leagues One and Two has already toughened the youngster and sees Scotland as the next step.

“Nathan has no doubt benefitted from the experiences he's had in Leagues One and Two and it speaks to his mature character that he wants to test himself in a new environment in Scotland,” Walters said. “That he will also gain exposure to playing in European competition is something new and will only help his development. We will keep a close eye on his progression.”

That European line matters. Hibs can offer something Walsall, Stockport and Wycombe cannot: nights when the pace is quicker, the scrutiny sharper, the margins thinner. How Lowe handles those occasions will say a lot about how fast he can climb when he returns to England.

For now, though, his task is simple and unforgiving. Lead the line. Score goals. Give Hibs the edge in both the league grind and on the continental stage.

Stoke have backed his future with a contract to 2029. Hibs have backed his present with a central role in their attack. The next few months will tell whether a prolific lower-league finisher can turn that promise into something far more dangerous in green and white.