Hibs boss tells Sol to forget transfer talk

JOHN HUGHES today warned Sol Bamba not to allow transfer speculation to distract him from helping Hibs to enjoy a successful end to the season.

World Cup-bound Bamba has been attracting attention from elsewhere with both Arsenal and Liverpool said to be tracking his progress while clubs in France, Germany and Russia are also believed to be interested.

Bamba himself claims Hughes has told him he won't stand in his way, adding: "Hibs have been good for me and I want to pay them back by earning them a lot of money from a transfer. I've worked hard to get here, now I want to see how far I can go."

But while admitting he wouldn't be surprised to have other clubs queuing up to sign the 26-year-old who has become a regular in the Ivory Coast national team alongside the likes of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and the Toure brothers Yaya and Kolo, Hughes has told Bamba, who still has a year to run on his contract with Hibs, to forget the future and concentrate on the present.

He said: "What will be will be, but Sol has to concentrate from now to the end of the season in getting in to the Hibs first team and staying there, it's as simple as that.

"Sol will be going to the World Cup and that's massive for him but to do that he needs to be 100 per cent focused on his game for Hibs. I think he owes it to himself, the supporters and his team-mates to say 'I will lead from the front and from now to the end of the season there won't be many in that dressing room outdoing me for man-of-the-match performances'."

Hughes has his fingers crossed Bamba, along with Lewis Stevenson and Merouane Zemmama will be fit for Saturday's derby at Tynecastle, the trio having missed the Scottish Cup tie against Ross County through injury.