CELTIC have a second bid for John McGinn rejected by Hibs.
The Edinburgh side have knocked back a £2million bid for a player who could choose to wait until January and sign a pre-contract deal with Celtic – meaning Hibs get a big, fat zero.
That would be the same about that St Mirren would receive so they will be anxiously awaiting developments and any transfer windfall they would be in line for should Hibs and Celtic reach agreement, would assist them in the own player recruitment as they set about consolidating their place back in the Scottish Premiership.
Hibs are gambling that Celtic can’t afford to wait another season for the player. Yet with strength in depth in the Parkhead engine room, there is an argument that Celtic could quite happily let McGinn gain another season at Easter Road to help prepare him for life as a Celtic player.
Ryan Christie has had a season and a half at Aberdeen and that has got to give him a better chance at Celtic now that he is back at the club. Derek McInnes reckoned that Christie was the best player in his squad last season so he has clearly progressed from his time playing regularly for the Dons.
If McGinn arrives now where does that leave Christie? The former Inverness Caley man seems to be a talented footballer and surely he deserves his chance? He has already stated that this is the make or break season for him so why not see what he is about and if he can crack it in a Celtic jersey in the first half of the season?
Hibs have NOT reported on any other bids for McGinn and the player may well be prepared to wait a few more months before signing for his boyhood heroes.
“Two bids have come in and been rejected by the club,” Neil Lennon said today.
“If you want to make a major story of it, that’s fine, but we’ve rejected two bids from Celtic. The club has a valuation of the player, I don’t know what that is, but obviously Celtic haven’t met the valuation that Hibs want at the minute.”
Lennon also revealed that the player is coping well with the speculation as he waits and wonders like the rest of us, if this deal is going to go through.
“He’s been all right. Obviously it’s difficult dealing with speculation and when a club as big as Celtic come in for you, there’s always that anticipation from his point of view of maybe making that step forward.
“However, he has to be professional. We’ve had a couple of chats and he’ll just have to wait and see how it develops because he’s our player and a very important player to us.”
Hibs recently lost Dylan McGeough to Sunderland after letting the former Celtic midfielder run down his contract. The player was therefore free to sign for his new club with Hibs getting nothing at all – and recently they admitted that they could NOT afford to do the same thing with McGinn.
Celtic, of course, are well aware of all of this. If Brendan Rodgers wants McGinn now they Peter Lawwell will undoubtedly do all he can to get the deal over the line. However if Brendan is in no particular hurry then Lawwell may choose the long game and that will result in a huge financial hit for Hibs and indeed St Mirren.
And another thing, why has Neil Lennon and Hibs gone all quiet on Scott Allan?
What is likely to happen now?
Probably Celtic’s final offer could reach £2.5million plus Scott Allan and the deal will go through.
But if we have to wait we should be chilled about that and get the player on a pre-contract in January.
