Hibs snub Rangers bid for prize asset Scott Allan

HIBS have rejected an initial bid from Rangers to lure the Easter Road club’s prize asset Scott Allan to Ibrox.

Scott Allan: Impressive form. Picture: Alan Rennie

It’s understood the Glasgow club’s offer was so low that it took the Easter Road board only seconds to turn it down.

While Hibs expect their Championship rivals to return with at least one more effort to tempt them to sell the midfielder, the club’s directors are expected to hold firm.

Although an approach from Rangers had been widely predicted, it wasn’t until late last night that it came in the form of an email, three days before the clubs open the season as they meet in the first round of the Petrofac Training Cup at Easter Road on Saturday.

Speculation surrounding the 23-year-old’s future has been rife all summer with Celtic and Dundee United, Allan’s first club, also credited with an interest in last season’s Championship player of the year.

Allan has enjoyed a new lease of life since making a surprise return to Scotland last summer, signing a two-year deal with Hibs following a big money move to West Brom which didn’t work out. His form has attracted much attention but throughout Allan has insisted he’s happy in Edinburgh, enjoying a revitalised career under Hibs boss Alan Stubbs while adamant he is intent on seeing out the final year of his contract by helping to guide the capital side back to the Premiership.

United came in with an offer of around £250,000 in January in a bid to take Allan back to Tannadice following the sales of Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong to Celtic, a move which was rebuffed out of hand by Hibs. While Hibs refuse to get involved in speculation on Allan’s worth, it is clear Rangers’ valuation fell well short of the sort of figures which had been quoted only a few months ago.

But Hibs don’t expect Rangers to abandon their bid to lure Allan, a lifelong fan of the Ibrox club, to Govan. However, he will have a critical role to play in Hibs’ own promotion bid.