Hibs open to bids for top man McGinn
HIBS chief executive Leeann Dempster has fuelled speculation that John McGinn is heading for the exit door this month after admitting the club will consider bids for the midfielder. The 23-year-old Scotland international was the subject of failed bids from Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town last summer — with the former having a best offer of £1.5million kicked out. Although Forest’s interest may be compromised by Mark
Warburton’s sacking, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is also a known admirer of the player and is intent on refreshing his squad this month. West Ham have had the player scouted in recent weeks, with David Moyes contemplating a bid which could take him to London. With McGinn entering the last 18 months of his contract, Dempster concedes that any serious offer for him will be considered. ‘There will be a lot of speculation around John regarding other clubs being interested in him,’ she said. ‘There was an offer in the August transfer window and John has since gone from strength to strength. ‘It’s inevitable that when you have good people either working for you, or playing at a club, that there is going to be interest. ‘It is always about weighing up our league position and what is best for us in the short and medium term. We don’t know what the next month will bring. We don’t have a crystal ball. We might get tested. If we are tested then we will carefully consider it.’ Neil Lennon’s squad will head for a sunshine break in Portugal on Saturday having worked their way into fourth place in their first season back in the top flight. With matters on and off the park buoyant, Dempster is adamant the club is under no pressure to sell. ‘The important thing is we are in a good place,’ she said. ‘We will see what comes towards us in January but we are not actively looking to sell our players.’ Meanwhile, Hibs have completed the loan signing of goalkeeper Scott Bain from Dundee until the end of the season. The 26-year-old, who is out of contract at Dens Park in the summer, had indicated he was keen to move on before a fall-out with boss Neil McCann saw him sidelined in the last two months.