Hibs boss steels himself for Bamba raid

But even so Hughes has his fingers crossed the big defender enjoys not only a "storming" tournament in Angola this month but an equally successful World Cup during the summer.

The 24-year-old scored his first international goal as the Ivory Coast beat Rwanda 2-0 in their final warm-up match before getting their African Cup campaign underway against Burkina Faso on Monday. And, with Bamba having also starred in the Beijing Olympics shortly before his move from Dunfermline to Edinburgh, Hughes is well aware the French-born star's stock is rising to the point where interest from elsewhere is inevitable.

He said: "There's no point talking around it, Sol has possibly been our best player this season, the reason being he's been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Didier Drogba and the Toure brothers.

"I think Hibs have benefited and I'm delighted to see Hibs represented on that stage. All credit to Mixu Paatelainen for having spotted the potential and bringing him to the club.

"If I am being selfish, I hope the Ivory Coast are knocked out in the first round but I honestly feel they can go all the way which would mean us missing Sol for around six weeks. With the World Cup also coming up Sol has put himself right in the window but he is still a Hibs player and I am desperate to keep him here."

Meanwhile, Merouane Zemmama was expected to be fit to face Irvine Meadow in tomorrow's Active Nation Scottish Cup clash but goalkeepers Graham Stack and Yves Ma-Kalambay have again been ruled out through injury.