Hibs transfer news: Kieron Bowie bidding war sparked by Serie A £4 million offer - Scotland striker latest

Hibs expect more bids for Kieron Bowie to follow – after rejecting the first concrete offer for the Scotland striker. The Evening News understands that Italian side Hellas Verona were rebuffed after lodging a bid of around £4 million plus add-ons for a player who has attracted interest from both Old Firm clubs, at least one Premier League side and a number of continental outfits – including another two in Italy.

Serie A relegation strugglers Verona are the first in a long list of potential suitors to break cover by making direct contact with the Easter Road hierarchy. And news of their confirmed interest could now spark a bidding war for a player who cost Hibs around £600,000 when they signed him from Fulham at the start of last season.

It now appears likely that, should Bowie depart before Monday’s January transfer window deadline, the fee received will easily break the club record for a player sale. That high water mark remains Scott Brown’s £4.4 million move to Celtic way back in 2007.

The Kirkcaldy-born striker is on the radar of both Rangers and Celtic. And he’s eager that his next move not adversely affect his chances of being part of Steve Clarke’s national team squad heading to the World Cup this summer.

Contingency plan in place - with two strikers already on radar

David Gray, already in the market for a centre forward even without factoring in any Bowie departure, appears close to securing 19-year-old Sligo Rovers striker Owen Elding in a six-figure deal. And Sheffield Wednesday front man Bailey Cadamarteri remains on the radar.

But Hibs have made it clear to potential buying clubs that Bowie is unlikely to be released for less than £6 million. And the Easter Road club are prepared to reinvest a large chunk of any transfer fee received.

Speaking just last week, Gray addressed the possibility of losing a big-name star like Bowie. And he seemed to suggest that contingency plans were in place.

Asked if he was confident that Hibs would be ready to replace any departing player with a top target, the manager said: “I think that's important, and I take comfort from, that I know the decisions that get made will all be a collective to make sure we push the club forward. So I think, as I say, there's always work going on in the background, there's always targets and there's always things you look at if you do have to react and be proactive.

“So it's easy to say that because of names that get speculation and things that happen within the window. That's not going to go away.

“But our focus isn't on losing anyone at this moment in time. It’s about making the squad better if we can.

“You can't worry about things you can't affect, and that's something I can't affect directly. Speculation will always be there - until the window closes.

“I think it's always the same, that last week of the window, everything gets heightened and everything starts to move. Almost that domino effect at times can obviously speed up in that last week of the window. The conversations are happening every single day about making sure we end the window stronger than we started it.”