Notts County manager Luke Williams has compared Ruben Rodrigues and Cal Roberts, explaining how only a life-changing offer for the 25-year-old would be considered as the EFL transfer window draws to an end this evening.
The Magpies have reportedly received a number of offers for the Portuguese midfielder, with Peterborough United one of the teams interested in acquiring Rodrigues' services.
And it is not the first time Notts have received interest in some of their talismanic figures this window, with Kyle Wootton leaving for League Two side Stockport County, while Roberts departed for Scottish Premiership side, Aberdeen for an undisclosed fee.
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With deals being completed left, right and centre on the final day of the transfer window, many Notts fans will remain anxious about a bid that could prise away their star asset. Williams, though, has explained that Rodrigues knows the value of his position within the team and amongst the fans.
"I think that Ruben is a smart guy and he knows he has quality," said Williams.
"He knows he is going to be in a really good position and have a really good choice of where he wants to go, we want to try and be successful and say to him, you could be in worse places or stay with us.
"We can't guarantee anything for him because the league is so difficult, but at the moment he recognises he is in a good place and not in a mad rush to jump at the first thing."
But Williams was quick to analyse the transfer of Roberts and explained sometimes a deal is simply too good to turn down, both for the club and the player.
The 41-year-old inherited Ian Burchnall's squad following his departure to Forest Green, and Williams recognised the talent Roberts possessed but revealed how he reacted to interest from Aberdeen.
"The only time you can let a player of that quality leave and not feel terrible is that you know that it is a fantastic offer and it is going to change that guys life," Williams added.
"You look at Cal Roberts for example. Tremendous quality, we were so happy when we started to work with the squad and saw how much quality he had.
"The offer came and one that was really difficult because they met the evaluation and met the salary, and Cal in a respectful way said, this is the one I want to go to and he had turned down offers already, and you could see in his face that this was the one he wanted.
"I saw Cal in the game we played against Gateshead, he came to see us and his leg is in a cast because he had an injury, now if he reluctantly stayed or we put massive pressure on him to stay and blocked a big opportunity for him and then he picks up that same injury, what state is the guy in.
"Sometimes you have to reluctantly accept and think this is what is best for the guy and for him to move on, but when the offer and personal terms are not very good, you need to try and convince the player to stay with you and work with them more and something more rewarding than something across the road."
