Killie demand hefty fee for Naismith

Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston hinted that Rangers will need to pay more than £1.7m to sign Steven Naismith.

Johnston rejected an opening offer of £400,000 from the Ibrox club for the 20-year-old forward before knocking back a deal worth £1.7m from an English club, whose identity he refused to reveal.

The Killie chairman told PA Sport he is looking for an “appropriate” fee for the highly-coveted youngster and has dismissed two rumours surrounding Naismith’s possible departure.

He said: “We did receive a bid of £1.4million with add-ons that would take it to £1.7m from an English club but that was unacceptable.

“It is a fallacy that I said that I would accept £1m for him, and it is a fallacy that there is a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave for £1.5m.

“But you look at players like Anthony Stokes and Kevin Thomson being sold for £2m and Scott Brown leaving for £4.4m.

“What is Steven Naismith worth? Certainly not the £400,000 that Rangers have bid. We know he is a valuable asset to the club although I don’t like to put in that way. And if we don’t get an appropriate value then he will not be sold.

“We are ambivalent about it all. We would like to keep him. He excites the supporters and if he stays then it will be good for us.

“Our manager Jim Jefferies can only see him getting better and stronger and we would expect another good season from him if he stays.”

Bristol City chief executive Colin Sexstone “categorically” denied that it was his club who tabled the £1.7m bid.

Johnston refused to confirm or deny that the promoted team, who will play in next season’s Coca-Cola Championship, were in the frame.

He said: “I’m not saying which club it was, they wanted me to keep it quiet.”