DARREN McGregor has tipped mercurial midfielder Stevie Mallan to emerge as the new John McGinn if Hibernian’s prize asset departs for Celtic.

The 22-year-old joined the capital club from Barnsley in a £175,000 deal last Friday and was afforded a cameo in Sunday afternoon’s 2-0 defeat against Blackburn, ironically replacing McGinn on the hour-mark. 

Mallan has penned a four-year deal with the Easter Road outfit and McGregor – briefly his teammate at St Mirren – has no doubt that the young playmaker has the mettle, quality and determination to shine in Edinburgh. 

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And he is adamant that the rise of McGinn, who looks likely to leave for Celtic as a Scottish Cup winner with nine Scotland caps under his belt, should be an inspiration to the incoming youngster. 

Celtic saw a £1.5m bid for McGinn kicked out last week but remain committed to taking the player west. 

McGregor said: “The hope is that we can turn Stevie [Mallan] into the next John McGinn, because we’re aware that there is the potential that John will move on and we’ll need someone as his replacement.

“The progress John has made should be motivation for any young player at Hibs. Look at John’s story – his application and his dedication shows that if you work hard and are persistent then you can go to big clubs.

“Stevie was really young when I was at St Mirren, but I do remember him and Lewis Morgan as two young guys. What I really remember, though, was playing against him for Hibs when he was at St Mirren – and I always saw a self-confidence there. 

“He would take free-kicks, demand the ball and every pass he tries to make is forward. He is always trying to break the lines. 

“No disrespect to St Mirren, but this is a bigger club with a bigger support and expectations, and I think he’ll grow with that and lap it up.”

Mallan arrives following a campaign which saw Dylan McGeouch and Lewis Stevenson make their Scotland debuts and Paul Hanlon earn a maiden call up to the senior squad on the back of their showing for Hibs.

Allied with McGinn establishing himself at the heart of the international side, McGregor sees no reason why Mallan – capped five times for the under-21s – should not nurse similarly lofty ambitions as he seeks to kick-start his career. 

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Mallan is returning north of the border with a point to prove following a miserable 12 months at Barnsley that saw him make just nine appearances after making the switch to Oakwell from St Mirren.

McGregor continued: “With the exposure of playing for Hibs, he can see that, after a good season, there is potential for him to break into the Scotland squad. I’m sure that will be ticking away in the back of his mind. 

“I believe we’ve got a player with real quality and someone who is hungry, confident and ready to step up to the plate.

“I don’t know about Stevie Mallan’s situation at Barnsley, but if any player is given an opportunity to better themselves, then not one will say ‘I don’t think I’m good enough’. Everyone is always confident.”