NEIL Lennon admits there is only an “outside hope” of keeping both of his in-demand midfielders Dylan McGeouch and John McGinn at the club for the next campaign but he hasn’t given up on that possibility. 

New Scotland cap McGeouch is a free agent who is attracting interest from a host of clubs on both sides of the border, including Rangers, Aberdeen, Sunderland, Blackburn, Hull City and QPR. With Celtic and Rangers both credited with an interest, McGinn is even more highly prized, although with a year left on his current deal, Hibs will drive a hard bargain should either club make an offer.

Speaking at a charity match for St Andrews Hospice in Airdrie this weekend, Lennon said he is keen to keep both players but had also planned to have all eventualities covered.

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“We hope [McGinn and McGeouch] are still there next season,” said Lennon. “Obviously it is an outside hope, particularly when you look at Dylan’s situation. There has been a lot of speculation about John too, but that is just the circumstances really, with a year left on his contract and the kind of player he is. We are prepared for eventualities if they come but if the pair of them are here on June 18 I will be absolutely delighted.

“Conversations about getting John to extend have been ongoing for quite a while,” he added. “We have spoken to both him and his agent on a number of occasions and there has been nothing forthcoming so far. But you never say never. Even Dylan’s situation, there still might be something there. There has been no forward progress anywhere else, although that might chance when he comes back from South America. We are hoping that won’t be the case.”

Such uncertainty over the squad is hardly new to the Hibs manager, but he did come out of January with the likes of Flo Kamberi, Scott Allan and Jamie MacLaren to add to the mix, and is hopeful of being able to announce some new signing of his own in the next week or so. Hibs enter Europa League action as early as July 12 and while only two Scottish teams, Aberdeen and Hearts, have ever made it through the tournament’s qualifying rounds to reach the Europa League group stages but Lennon feels it is a realistic goal.

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“It is a tall order but not one that is beyond us,” he added. “You are under-cooked, there is no doubt about it, but we have been there before with the Champions League a couple of times and managed to do it. You need a break in the draw as well. We are going to take it round by round, but my sights are to get into the Europa League group stages, that would be a fantastic coup for the club. We are in it, we have earned the right to be in it, and we want more of it. We know how difficult it is historically for Scottish teams to get through, two Irish teams have done it, but they are halfway through their season.That is the disadvantage we have but it is possible.”