McGINN PURSUIT

Cardiff ready to swoop for Easter Road star

CARDIFF CITY are poised to move for John McGinn before the transfer deadline next week after making a personal check on the Hibernian midfielder in the Edinburgh derby.

The 23-year-old (right) who scored his side’s winner at Dens Park on Wednesday night, was the subject of failed bids from Nottingham Forest and Ipswich last August. But his hopes of moving to the English Championship could be reignited next week after Neil Warnock’s assistant Kevin Blackwell travelled north to take in the defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup last Sunday.

Hibs are believed to be looking for close to £2million for the Scotland international — with Cardiff currently balancing that outlay with the need to regain their top-flight status.

Currently third in the second

tier of the English game but two points behind secondplaced Derby, Warnock is keen to add the fresh blood that could help his side claim an automatic promotion place. Forest’s interest in McGinn is believed to have dropped since they sacked former Rangers boss Mark Warburton, but other clubs — and Celtic — could bid. With McGinn contracted at Easter Road until next summer, Hibs may feel this is the window to maximise their return on a player they signed for an undisclosed fee. Cardiff are also on the trail of Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones. The Northern Irishman was the subject of a failed bid from Rangers earlier in the window. The Ibrox club have yet to make a fresh offer and could miss out on the 23-year-old as Warnock plots a double raid on the Scottish market.