Hibernian manager Lee Johnson admits Kevin Nisbet will be the subject of a big money move this summer if he can consistently replicate the form he showed over Hearts.
Johnson concedes there is no shortage of interest in the Scotland international - who is about to enter the final year of his deal at Easter Road, ahead of the summer transfer window opening.
After Nisbet pulled out of a proposed switch to English Championship side Millwall in January, the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United. Preston, Middlesbrough and Wigan - managed by ex-Hibs boss Shaun Maloney - are all thought to be keeping tabs on the player.
Turkish giants Galatasaray have also been created with an interest and Johnson is bracing himself for bids this summer as he challenged Nisbet to build on his match-winning performance from last Saturday's derby success.
Johnson, whose side will attempt to secure a top six place at St Johnstone tomorrow, said: “I hope the speculation builds because it means he is performing as well as he did on Saturday, I thought he was outstanding - his work rate, obviously the goal.
“I hope he is here beyond the summer but he is attracting a lot of interest, there’s no doubt about that.
“My challenge for him is: ‘Go and do that again on Saturday now, when maybe the atmosphere isn’t quite as intense. We need to go and create that intensity now, and we need that quality from you again and again and again’.
“If he does do that then he probably won’t be here because someone will come in with a big bid that we can’t turn down for someone who has a year left on his contract.”
Nisbet scored the only goal of the game against Hearts with a close range second half finish but Johnson insists there was another moment that gave him just as much satisfaction.
He added: “You see now he is rolling his hips into people, he is pinning them, he is a big strong lad anyway.
“It was a great example when the ball came in during the Hearts game, he shaped up - I remember playing against Kevin Phillips who I thought was world class, low centre of gravity - dropped the shoulder, everybody was thinking he was going that way but big touch then spin then stuck someone down the line.
“I think Toby Sibbick was behind him and he absolutely went for a pasty on the back of that move.
“You can only do that if you have a great touch, great centre of gravity and spatial awareness and for me that shows a real high level of football IQ.”
Hibs will attempt to seal their place in the top six with victory over St Johnstone tomorrow afternoon.
The Leith side are only one point clear of Livingston in seventh going into the final pre-split games this weekend.
Johnson insists they cannot think about anything other than a win in Perth despite a point potentially being good enough.
Johnson added: “The focus will be on winning the game, there's no doubt about that. There could be a time lapse - there was Man Utd v Man City back in the day, when Man Utd think they've won the league then Man City score.
“Those things go on in football all the time. But we've just got to do our job. It's very clear to us what we have to do: we've got to win the game.
“That's what we'll try to do.”
