Kilwinning Rangers boss Chris Strain has warned wantaway star David Syme he can’t railroad through a move to Premier rivals Darvel.
Defender Syme is trying to force Kilwinning into selling him after slapping in a shock transfer request this week.
Darvel have already had a £7,000 bid rejected by the Buffs – an offer Strain says falls way short of his valuation of the player.
Kilwinning want £12k for the former Killie ace and are not willing to let him go for a penny less.
Strain revealed he’s had on and off discussions with both the player and Darvel boss Mick Kennedy since December.
But matters came to a head last week last when Syme failed to show for training.
Strain said: “Darvel expressed an interest in David around Christmas time and were told we weren’t willing to sell.
“Three or four weeks ago, David came back to us saying Darvel had offered him terms. He said he didn’t want to leave but the money was too good to turn down.
“I explained to him he was still under contract for another year, spoke to Mick and reiterated that we didn’t want to sell.
“To be honest I wasn’t happy that they’d offered terms without agreeing a fee with us but I’m big and ugly enough to know these things go on in football.
“I’m more disappointed with David though. We’d actually sat down with him very recently and had positive talks about extending his contract.
“But the two of us had a disagreement after we lost at Beith a few weeks ago and I felt David’s demeanour changed from there.
“He failed to show for training last week, missed the game against Cumnock on Friday and I haven’t seen him since.
“He’s been treated very well at this club and I think he’s let himself and his teammates down.
“David doesn’t have a future at the club based on events. But just because he’s put in a transfer request it doesn’t mean we are going to let him go to one of our main rivals on the cheap.
“We’re resigned to losing a top player, someone we saw as a big part of our plans going forward. But until someone meets our valuation, he will be going nowhere.”
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