'The reality is' - Portsmouth, Ipswich, Peterborough and Wigan handed attacking midfielder transfer warning
Pompey fans have been waiting patiently to see what the Blues' summer transfer business will look like
Clubs interested in Altrincham attacking midfielder Chris Conn-Clarke have been warned he won’t be sold on the cheap.
Pompey have been linked with the Northern Ireland under-21 international, who scored 23 goals and registered 12 assists for the non-league side last season. The Blues have reportedly been joined by Ipswich, Wigan, Peterborough and Mansfield in keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, who helped Alty reach the National League play-offs and was named in the tier’s team of the season.
Peterborough are reported to have had a bid for the former Fleetwood man turned down as they looked to steal a march on the competition.
Altrincham director of football Rob Esteva has confirmed offers have been lodged for Conn-Clarke’s services and subsequently rejected. But while he won’t stand in the attacker’s way of a move higher up the football pyramid, he’s stressed Alty won’t budge on their valuation of a player who still has two years remaining on his contract.
Speaking to Radio Alty, Esteva said: ‘Everyone knows it’s going to be difficult for us to keep Chris, but it has to be right for the club as well as for him.
‘We have received a couple of offers already, but they have been turned down. The reality is we won’t let him go if teams don’t meet our valuation, and the offers we have had so far don’t come close.
‘It’s not crazy money we’re asking, it’s a realistic assessment of his worth, based on the benchmark of other players and the realisation that Chris has out-performed so many of them. It will be incredibly sad if he does go, but we always back ourselves, and I’m confident we will once more have one of the best attacks in the division next season, with or without Chris.’
Pompey are on the lookout for attacking talent this summer as they prepare for a return to the Championship. Since the end of last season, Alex Robertson, Tino Anjorin, Myles-Peart Harris, Abu Kamara (all loans) and Josh Martin have all left the club. The Blues are yet to announce any signings this summer, with the transfer window due to open officially on June 14.