McGinn has to realise he is not certain to join Celtic

HIBERNIAN boss Neil Lennon has warned John McGinn to mentally prepare himself for the possibility that a summer switch to Celtic might not happen.

The Northern Irishman yesterday backed the Easter Road board for their unwavering stance over the transfer saga after they reportedly turned down a third bid worth £2million from the Scottish champions.

McGinn, who is out of contract next summer, has made it known that Parkhead is his preferred destination, but Hibs are thought to be holding out for £4m for their star midfielder.

Lennon has already conceded that the intense speculation about McGinn’s future has been unsettling for the 23-year-old Scotland international, who is set to play his second competitive game of the season against Greek side Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League at Easter Road tonight.

And even though the transfer window in Scotland still has over a month to run, Lennon insists McGinn needs to consider that Celtic might not be willing to pay the asking price.

‘Listen, the deal might never happen,’ he declared. ‘He has to get his head around that as well, so we try to prepare him for all eventualities the best we can.

‘John is quite satisfied just now. I’ve had chats with him to see how he is because there will be people talking to him — the agent, family, all giving him titbits of advice.

‘I have been in that situation, so I know how difficult it can be getting messages from here, there and everywhere.

‘Ideally, it is good for him to come in to train and play. He is training well, he’ll play and, until that situation changes, he is a Hibs player.

‘It’s a difficult situation for him. At the end of the day, John is a human being and it almost feels as if he is a bit exposed. We are trying to manage him the best we can.’

In placing their value on McGinn (right), the Hibs board are thought to have taken into account the £4.5m they received from Celtic for Scott Brown in 2007.

With 33 per cent of any transfer fee set to go to McGinn’s former club St Mirren, Lennon insisted he is more than happy with how the club directors are conducting themselves.

Lennon, whose team will face either Norwegians Molde or Laci of Albania if they overcome Tripolis in the second qualifying round, added: ‘The club have been really strong and I totally back that. We have our valuation, he is our top player and no club has yet met the valuation that satisfies the club.

‘I don’t get involved with the money side of things, thankfully. I work for the club, the board, Leeann (Dempster, chief executive).

‘But the club have made their position pretty clear to Celtic what we value the player at — and that valuation has not been met.

‘They run the club and, to be fair to them, they have run it pretty well recently. They have taken a really strong position on this and they are right to do that.’

Lennon has warned his players they need to be streetwise against their Greek visitors in tonight’s first leg.

‘They are going to have to be smart, patient, and try not to get too emotional,’ said the Hibs boss, who has dropped his interest in Croatian trialist Ivan Lendric.

‘There may be some histrionics from the opposition that our boys aren’t used to. They have to ignore that and it’s difficult sometimes because they won’t be used to it.

‘From my own experience playing against some Greek sides in the past, particularly away from home, they are cute. They can do the dark side of the game quite well.’

Meanwhile, Tripolis captain Konstantinos Triantafyllopoulos admits tonight’s game will be played against a backdrop of ‘unbearable tragedy’.

Close to 100 lives have been claimed by wildfires near Athens — thought to be the deadliest on record in Greece — while the search continues for survivors who fled the blaze. Both sides will wear black armbands, while there will also be a minute’s silence prior to kick-off. Triantafyllopoulos said: ‘The pain is almost unbearable for our country. Thankfully, the families of the players are safe, but this is not the point. We all feel this. We need to try to concentrate on our mission and hopefully give some pleasure to any people back home interested in the outcome.’