HIBS boss Neil Lennon hopes to convince Efe Ambrose and Ofir Marciano to make permanent moves to Easter Road.

Stopper Ambrose helped the club clinch the Championship title after joining on loan from Celtic in February – and Israeli keeper Marciano enjoyed a season-long loan stint from Ashdod in his homeland.

Lennon has re-signed captain David Gray, Darren McGregor, Lewis Stevenson, Marvin Bartley and Ross Laidlaw and recruited playmaker Danny Swanson from St Johnstone.

The Leith chief wants Ambrose and Marciano for their Premiership return.

He said: “We have got Danny Swanson in, we have talks with Efe ongoing and hopefully we’ll get Ofir back. 

“Momentum is important going into a new season, so on top of that we want to add some quality.

“In the last two years, when they’ve played against Premiership opposition they can certainly hold their own.

“The top six is the first goal then we can progress from there – but I want to finish best of the rest.”