John McGinn is one of Scotland’s most highly-rated young players but was denied the chance to swap Hibs for Nottingham Forest in the summer.
After Hibernian lost top scorer Jason Cummings to Nottingham Forest this summer, they were always unlikely to let a player rated even more highly at Easter Road follow in his footsteps.
According to Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest made a bid for Hibs’ 22-year-old midfielder John McGinn late in the transfer window on the back of a superb campaign in which he won the Scottish Championships’ Player of the Year award after inspiring the Edinburgh club to promotion.
However, Hibs boss Neil Lennon claimed that he would not consider selling McGinn for less than £5 million (The Mail) – some way above the ‘laughable’ £750,000 Forest are believed to have offered for his services.
And Scotland captain Scott Brown, who McGinn has been tipped to replace at international level, admits that newly promoted Hibs have pulled off a real coup managing to keep hold of his young protégé.
“John McGinn is a fantastic player and maybe a little bit unlucky not to get his move that everyone was talking about but he’s a great addition to the Scotland squad,” Brown told the Edinburgh Times.
“He’s a strong boy and he’s got that directness about him. He can get past a man and works hard for the team. He is great to have in the squad.”
“Hibs have done well to keep him and I’m sure he’ll do well in the Scottish Premiership…until the next transfer window!”
Forest manager Mark Warburton will know McGinn from his time in Scotland with Glasgow giants Rangers and will be expected to renew his interest in a player who is under contract until 2019.
McGinn has three caps for Scotland, all coming within the last year, and is perhaps the jewel in a group of highly-rated technical midfielders to emerge north of the border in recent seasons.
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