Derek Riordan was wanted by Cardiff and Rangers

"Derek is saying he would like to stay and we would like him to stay," Mowbray told BBC Sport.

"But I live in reality and I've been trying to get Derek to put his name on a contract for two-and-a-half years.

"I don't think it's going to happen. But Derek and his representatives know where my office is."

Transfers to Cardiff City and Rangers had fallen through and Mowbray insists that he remains on good terms with the 23-year-old.

"We have Derek at least until the summer and maybe until October and will utilise him the best way we can," said the Hibs boss.

This kind of speculation has been going on for two years Hibs manager Tony Mowbray

Mowbray, meanwhile, was dismissive of a newspaper report suggesting that midfielder Kevin Thomson was a target for Tottenham Hotspur.

"This kind of speculation has been going on for two years, but we have all our young players on new contracts," he said.

"If Martin Jol wants to inquire about Kevin, he knows where I am."

Thomson himself was concentrating on stating his case for inclusion in Scotland's squad for the end-of-season Kirin Cup, when Bulgaria and Japan will be the opponents.

"I want to play football every day and if being called up to represent Scotland means taking another week out of my summer holidays to go to Japan and pick up a couple of caps then I would be over the moon," he said.

"And Hibs know that if things do not go according to plan in the league and we do not pick up the possible points that we need for the Uefa Cup then the Intertoto Cup is another way into Europe.