Staggies insist striker will cost ‘pretty penny’

Stuart Kettlewell has warned clubs keen on Ross Stewart that Ross County will demand a sevenfigure fee to release their in-form frontman.

Stoke, Middlesbrough and Blackburn have all reportedly been keeping tabs on the Staggies striker.

But, with the Scottish market booming, Kettlewell insists the 23-year-old will not be leaving on the cheap.

Hull were forced to fork out £1.5 million to sign Motherwell’s James Scott in January, while Livingston’s Lyndon Dykes recently completed a £2m switch to QPR.

Stewart’s Dingwall employers will be looking for a similar windfall before they decide to let the player, who has netted twice in County’s opening five Scottish Premiership games, move south from the Highlands.

Kettlewell said: “There have been murmurs and bits of contact but our standpoint is exactly the same.

“Ross has been terrific and I’m not surprised by the contact we have had.

“But, as it sits at the minute, nobody has come close to meeting our valuation of the player.

“I think the Scottish market is probably a bit stronger than it has been.

“I look at James Scott going from Motherwell to Hull and Lyndon Dykes moving from Livingston to QPR and we pitch Ross Stewart into the same category as these guys.

“The effect that Ross has had on our team puts a huge value on him.

“The golden nugget for us is that the guy loves playing for this club and believes he’s getting better every day.

“It’s a win-win situation for us. He delivers on the pitch on a Saturday, a brilliant guy through the week and we’re not sitting here with a player and an agent (agitating for a move).

“I have a great relationship with Ross’ agent, we’re all reading off the same hymn sheet in that we believe he is developing where he is right now.

“For someone to change that situation it’s going to cost them a pretty penny.”