Neil Lennon reveals he would be keen to talk to Hibernian about possible return to Easter Road

The 52-year-old has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Lee Johnson, who was sacked by the Easter Road club on Sunday after kicking off the cinch Premiership campaign with three consecutive defeats.

Lennon managed Hibs from the summer of 2016 until January 2019, leading the club to the Championship title and then a record points tally in their first season back in the top flight as they finished fourth.

The Northern Irishman, who has been out of work since being sacked by Cypriot club Omonia Nicosia last October, is open to a return to the Hibees.

“It’s a club I worked at before,” he told Sky Sports. “I had a great couple of seasons there and it’s an attractive prospect for a lot of applicants. We’ll see, watch this space. I’d be interested in a conversation, that’s for sure.”

Lennon left Hibs by mutual consent following an internal investigation in which he was found not guilty of any misconduct or wrongdoing during a heated team meeting after a defeat at Motherwell while they languished in the bottom six midway through the 2018-19 campaign.

Hibs have changed ownership since then and Lennon insisted he would have no qualms about returning, even though he has already experienced the perils of going back to a former club when his second spell in charge of Celtic proved more difficult and less successful than his first.

“No, not at all,” he added, when asked if he would have any worries about a second stint at Hibs. “The board have put a lot of investment into the playing side and the stadium. It’s a club that hasn’t started the season so well but there’s huge potential there.”

Lennon anticipates strong competition for the job, and name-checked three other Premiership managers he sees as possible rivals for the role.

“There’s going to be a lot of candidates, when you look at Derek McInnes, Stephen Robinson and Malky Mackay, all good managers up in the Premiership,” he said. “There will be a host of people wanting that job.”