Hibs want Darren McGregor after Rangers release

Hibs manager Alan Stubbs. Picture: John Devlin

St Johnstone are also believed to be interested but the player’s preference is to sign for Hibs.

Edinburgh-born McGregor grew up supporting the Easter Road side and has never hidden his admiration for the club.

Usually a centre-back, McGregor can also play right-back. His exit from Ibrox is something of a surprise, coming just three months after he was named Rangers’ player of the season.

He made 50 appearances under former managers Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Stuart McCall, scoring five goals, but following the arrival of Mark Warburton the former St Mirren player dropped down the pecking order and he now leaves by mutual consent.

McGregor failed to feature in any of Rangers’ six matches so far as Danny Wilson and Rob  Kiernan were preferred at centre-half. A Rangers spokesman said: “Darren leaves with the club’s best wishes for a successful future.”

Hibs, meanwhile, are also understood to have made a late bid to sign Jon Daly yesterday only for the former Rangers and Dundee United striker to join Raith Rovers. Raith manager Ray McKinnon said: “There was a last-minute call from a big club in our league trying to steal him away but he came to us and that says a lot about him.”