John Hughes is keen to get the best players assembled for his squad and is keen to get the Moroccan magicians back working under his spell.

Flags out when the pair return
The Hibs squad will be back for pre-season training on Thursday for the first time being led by new manager John Hughes. Two faces will be missing in the shape of Moroccans Merouane Zemmama and Abdessalam Benjelloun. Hibs fans should not panic as the pair, who spent last season on loan in the Middle East and Belgium respectively, are expected back in the near future. The Moroccans have been with their international squad which played in a World Cup qualifying match against Togo in Rabat just last weekend and have been given permission for the late arrival. With the pair being out of the picture for so long there has been speculation that they had seen the last of Easter Road. However, Hughes is keen to have them both back as both are featuring in his plans.

Striker 'Benji' moved to Belgian outfit Royal Charleroi after falling out of former manager Mixu Paatelainen's plans before moving on again to Jupiler League side Roeselare. He was a hit with their fans after he scored five goals in their last six games to help them retain their place in the top flight following a four-way play-off. He has a year left on his deal in Edinburgh and Hughes will sit down with him on his return having already made clear his determination to "inspire" Benji back to the sort of form he displayed to help lift the CIS Cup two years ago.

Zemmama's situation, though, is rather more difficult to unravel. The midfielder, who has two years of his deal to run, has always said he wants to play for Hibs again but it remains to be seen whether Zenib, his teenage wife, will win a visa to join him in Edinburgh. She was refused permission in the past due to being under 18 and, on compassionate grounds, Hibs agreed a season-long loan deal for Zemmama with Al Sha'ab in the United Arab Emirates so he the pair could be together. This period would mean that the pair could return after Zenib turned 18. However, last November the Home Office raised the age limit, aimed at preventing forced marriages, to 21. Hibs have been hacking their way through the red tape for months but, while they remain optimistic that the family can stay together, permission has yet to be received from the Home Office for Zenib and the couple's recently-born child to head to Edinburgh.

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