Portsmouth transfer news: St Johnstone boss opens up on meeting with striker linked with Blues, Peterborough and Bristol Rovers
Pompey remain keen on St Johnstone striker Makenzie Kirk
Simo Valakari has admitted he’s held talks with Pompey target Makenzie Kirk about his future.
The St Johnstone boss said he wanted to know if the striker was in the right frame of mind to feature for the McDiarmind Park side amid ongoing transfer speculation.
He was also keen to get the latest on the 21-year-old’s situation, with the Blues joined by Peterborough United, Bristol Rovers and an unnamed Scottish Premiership side in admiring the Edinburgh-born frontman.
On that note, Valakari admitted he wasn’t exactly sure what the future held for Kirk - who has been the subject of a reported failed Posh bid around the £500,000 mark as clubs prepare for the final days of the summer transfer window.
Simo Valakari on speculation linking Pompey target Makenzie Kirk with move away from St Johnstone
Confirming his meeting with Kirk and what all parties hope to gain from a potential transfer, Valakari told The Courier: ‘It was a good, honest, open conversation.
‘We don’t know exactly what the future holds. In life and in football, everyone is looking for the best outcome for themselves.
‘As a club, we want the best fee we can get if there is a transfer.
‘Or is it best for us that, because he is our player, we don’t sell him?
‘The club that wants to buy him wants the lowest possible fee and to get the player.
‘For Makenzie, he has to look after what is the best thing for his future development - that he can find an environment where he can still progress.
‘There are all these parties who think for themselves.
‘It is very seldom that everyone gets what they want in football. Someone needs to sacrifice something. You don’t get the perfect result.
‘When everyone is okay with it, though, perhaps it could happen.’
Valakari backs Kirk amid transfer speculation
Kirk has come to Pompey’s attention after bagging 11 goals for St Johnstone last season during their relegation campaign from Scotland’s top flight.
He’s also started this season well, with the Northern Ireland under-21 international scoring four goals in seven appearances before the Saints’ Scottish Championship fixture against Arbroath.
The striker, who the Blues see as a long-term target, was named on the bench for that game - the third league fixture in a row that he’s found himself among the substitutes. He also remained there as the hosts ran out 3-0 winners, with on-loan Blues keeper Toby Steward recording a fourth clean sheet.
But Valakari is confident Kirk will give everything to the St Johnstone cause for as long as he remains at McDiarmind Park.
He added: ‘I spoke to Makenzie after training because I appreciate, for a young boy, it is not an easy situation.
‘As much as you want to stay out of the speculation, and let your agent or representatives deal with everything, that can’t always be the case.
‘You hear the stories, you have the name of teams, you talk with your agent.
‘This is not the ideal situation, but I truly believe, from the bottom of my heart, as long as he is here, he will give everything as he has been doing.
‘Does it affect him? Of course, but he is here and it is very important that I can trust my players.
‘So it’s very important when Makenzie goes on the field and, when I need him, that he will give everything.
‘The feeling I got from him is that’s exactly what he is going to do for as long as he is here.’