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Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston says Steven Naismith's suitors will have to pay more than £1m for Scotland's young player of the year.
"We turned down a seven-figure offer last summer, so why would we accept anything less?" Johnston told the Daily Mail about the 20-year-old striker.
"There have been a number of clubs looking at Steven and we do expect inquiries and bids over the summer.
"We won't stand in his way, but we won't sell for less than £1m."
And Johnston stressed that he would demand that fee up front for the striker who had a trial with Arsenal at the start of the season.
"I'm talking there about a down payment, too, because frankly we are not really interested in appearance-linked payments, goals, etc.," he said. He'll be looking to move on to another level
Rangers striker Kris Boyd
"Steven is an enormous asset for Kilmarnock.
"We did not realise a transfer fee this season with him, but arguably his influence helped us reach the CIS Cup final and the top six."
There have been suggestions that Rangers want to re-united Naismith with Kris Boyd, who left Killie for Ibrox in a cut-price deal of less than £500,000 in January 2006.
But Johnston stressed: "He's under contract for more than two years, so there are no parallels with the Kris Boyd situation, when we had to sell because his deal was about to expire."
Assistant manager Billy Brown has not given up hope of Naismith still being at the club next season.
"Until a bid comes in, it's hard to say that we're resigned to losing him," he said.
"We just hope there is someone we can bring in if Naisy does go, but he's down on my list for pre-season training in Italy at the moment.
"When you've got someone of Steven's talent, will and endeavour, big clubs are going to be watching him.
"There have been scouts at every Kilmarnock game.
"He's the young player of the year for the SPFA and was the sports writers' choice last year, so you can't stop people looking at him."
Meanwhile, Boyd has tipped Naismith to handle a possible big-money move.
"He has done really well this season, he's on 17 goals," said the Rangers striker.
"For someone to do that at Kilmarnock, at that level, it's a credit to them and he'll be looking to move on another level."
Had to post this as wasn't sure our foreign posters will have had much exposure to these kind of stories twisted by Scotland's media. They basically try to engineer any good Scottish player a move to either Rangers or Celtic with the example above a prime one.
Whether it is good for the players career doesn't seem to matter to them as long as it sells papers (realise this part applies to loads of countries) but the fact they proceed to aid these two sepcific clubs just ko's competition in our league. I'm studying sports journalism at Uni and this sort of manufacuring really annoys me.
I will be mega pissed off if Naismith goes to the Old Filth. Players in Scotland need to realise the best way to devlop is going to the Premiership, McFadden and Fletcher being two of Scotland's best players.
Boy can go and f@ck himself trying to tap Naismith up, the kid has had a trial with Arsenal he's far better than Rangers.
Sorry for the rant
to a good weekend of football
"We turned down a seven-figure offer last summer, so why would we accept anything less?" Johnston told the Daily Mail about the 20-year-old striker.
"There have been a number of clubs looking at Steven and we do expect inquiries and bids over the summer.
"We won't stand in his way, but we won't sell for less than £1m."
And Johnston stressed that he would demand that fee up front for the striker who had a trial with Arsenal at the start of the season.
"I'm talking there about a down payment, too, because frankly we are not really interested in appearance-linked payments, goals, etc.," he said. He'll be looking to move on to another level
Rangers striker Kris Boyd
"Steven is an enormous asset for Kilmarnock.
"We did not realise a transfer fee this season with him, but arguably his influence helped us reach the CIS Cup final and the top six."
There have been suggestions that Rangers want to re-united Naismith with Kris Boyd, who left Killie for Ibrox in a cut-price deal of less than £500,000 in January 2006.
But Johnston stressed: "He's under contract for more than two years, so there are no parallels with the Kris Boyd situation, when we had to sell because his deal was about to expire."
Assistant manager Billy Brown has not given up hope of Naismith still being at the club next season.
"Until a bid comes in, it's hard to say that we're resigned to losing him," he said.
"We just hope there is someone we can bring in if Naisy does go, but he's down on my list for pre-season training in Italy at the moment.
"When you've got someone of Steven's talent, will and endeavour, big clubs are going to be watching him.
"There have been scouts at every Kilmarnock game.
"He's the young player of the year for the SPFA and was the sports writers' choice last year, so you can't stop people looking at him."
Meanwhile, Boyd has tipped Naismith to handle a possible big-money move.
"He has done really well this season, he's on 17 goals," said the Rangers striker.
"For someone to do that at Kilmarnock, at that level, it's a credit to them and he'll be looking to move on another level."
Had to post this as wasn't sure our foreign posters will have had much exposure to these kind of stories twisted by Scotland's media. They basically try to engineer any good Scottish player a move to either Rangers or Celtic with the example above a prime one.
Whether it is good for the players career doesn't seem to matter to them as long as it sells papers (realise this part applies to loads of countries) but the fact they proceed to aid these two sepcific clubs just ko's competition in our league. I'm studying sports journalism at Uni and this sort of manufacuring really annoys me.
I will be mega pissed off if Naismith goes to the Old Filth. Players in Scotland need to realise the best way to devlop is going to the Premiership, McFadden and Fletcher being two of Scotland's best players.
Boy can go and f@ck himself trying to tap Naismith up, the kid has had a trial with Arsenal he's far better than Rangers.
Sorry for the rant
to a good weekend of football
