For £3m, is this Celtic’s best chance to sign Hibernian’s John McGinn?

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Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have reportedly been watching John McGinn, but so have Premier League duo Bournemouth and Brighton.

Neil Lennon has made it clear on countless occasions how highly he values his Hibernian midfielder John McGinn. £5 million is the fee Lennon believes the 23-year-old is worth in today’s market, which would have made him the fifth most expensive player in the history of long-standing suitors Celtic.

But with just one year left on McGinn’s contract, it seems that Hibs would have to accept a bit less for the Scotland international as interest rises.

As reported by the Mail, Premier League duo Bournemouth and Brighton are preparing summer moves for a player who is understood to be on the market for a cut-price £3 million.

The report adds that Celtic are yet to make a move for a man Brendan Rodgers has publicly praised in recent times. But, if McGinn is available for as little as £3 million this summer, the Scottish Premiership champions should not remain dormant for long.

Central midfield is a position Celtic could perhaps do with strengthening this summer.

Stuart Armstrong has been a shadow of his 2017 best and Scott Brown, despite winning the SPFA Player of the Year award, is 32 and will need someone to take over the mantle eventually. McGinn has been tipped to replace Brown for both Celtic and Scotland.

Now, £5 million looked rather steep for a Celtic side who have not paid that much for a player for over 15 years. But for £2 million less, McGinn suddenly looks like an affordable and astute addition.