No approaches yet, but Notts braced to hold on to top stars
IAN Burchnall says there has been no “formal contact” for Notts County winger Callum Roberts but accepts there will be interest in him because of his talent.
The Magpies ace is one of a number of players at Meadow Lane attracting admiring glances from Football League clubs due to their impressive form this season.
Ruben Rodrigues and Kyle Wootton have both been linked with Rotherham United and Portsmouth respectively, while Hartlepool United are believed to be keeping tabs on Roberts.
But head coach Burchnall says there has been no offer for Roberts, who missed Sunday’s win over Wrexham having struggled with illness in the week leading up to the game.
“Ever since I’ve been here there’s been interest in Cal because he’s a good football player,” he said.
“There’s been no formal contact or anything to do with Cal. He’s played really well this season in the moments he has had.
“He missed last week’s game because he was out all week ill. But he can play a variety of positions in the system we play. He can play as a 10, an eight and he can play wide.
“He’s provided goals and assists already this season. A fully fit and firing Cal Roberts is really important to us.
“But again he is a player that will no doubt have interest in him because he’s a talented player.”
Notts are hoping the rest of the January transfer window passes without a departure after the club’s owners, the Reedtz brothers, said any sale would have to significantly benefit the club’s ambitions of returning to the Football League.
With Rodrigues, Wootton and Roberts catching the eye, Notts fans are eager to keep hold of their prized assets having built an impressive squad which is in the thick of the National League promotion race.
And Burchnall says he is not anticipating any huge bids for any of his players, although he admitted he could not categorically rule out a departure if a significant sum of money was put on the table.
“Everybody has a price even if you are a Championship or Premier League club,” he said.
“Whether I think a club is coming in with a realistic bid, I don’t think so.
“We’ll see. Not in this window. But if something huge came in then we’d sit down and discuss it.
“We have to have a plan for that. Should we lose somebody then we’d need somebody to come in to continue the work we are doing.
“We don’t want to leave ourselves short so we’ll have contingency plans for every situation. But I don’t really anticipate a bid big enough.”