CALL IT OFF
Stubbs tells Rangers to end Allan pursuit
HIBS boss Alan Stubbs made a personal call to Rangers counterpart Mark Warburton and issued a definitive ‘no’ to all current and future bids for Easter Road playmaker Scott Allan.
Having already knocked back a £175,000 bid from the Ibrox club, an improved offer of £225,000 was rejected by Hibs late yesterday afternoon.
Sportsmail also understands that, despite reports of Allan having told Hibs of his desire to join his boyhood heroes, they believe him to still be committed to seeing out the last year of his contract at Easter Road.
Stubbs, who insists the size of the fee isn’t the problem, declared: ‘I can categorically say that Scott Allan will not be going to Rangers.
‘I spoke to Mark this morning. I have a good relationship with Mark. It was me who made the phone call and I was making Mark aware of our stance. It is just respect and it was a respectful phone call.
‘Our stance is very strong, we
are not prepared to sell Scott Allan because he is fundamental to what we want to achieve. ‘You don’t sell your best players. No matter who you are, you don’t sell your best players — especially to your closest rivals.’ Stubbs said he had talked the matter over with the 23-year-old former Dundee United and West Brom player, whose career has been resurrected since signing for Hibs last summer. ‘When something happens, we just have to respond and that is what we’re doing,’ said the Hibs manager. ‘We are fully within our means to do what we’ve done. ‘Scott has a year left on his contract and our stance is the same as what it was two months ago. We, as a club, are prepared to let Scott run down his contract. ‘I’ve spoken with Scott and told him exactly the situation. That there has been an offer and that it has been rejected. ‘He was aware. I’m sure his advisors have told him. I’m sure they’ve told him everything. ‘We are trying to put together a team we feel will have a chance of being close for promotion this season.’ Stubbs believes boyhood Rangers fan Allan, last year’s Championship Player of the Season, can aim even higher than Ibrox, declaring: ‘Scotty has an option of, at the end of this season potentially, I feel, playing at the top level. ‘I honestly believe Scotty can play in the Premier League in England. ‘I can’t say that about everybody. He’s got a fantastic opportunity. ‘He just has to play the same. If he can play even better, then he could get an even better Premier League club.’