ICT yet to receive bid for any player
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CALEY Thistle have yet to receive a formal bid for any of their players as they press on with plans to keep the current squad together.
Speculation has seen former Scotland under-21 international Graeme Shinnie strongly linked with a move to Aberdeen, while rumours persist of interest from south of the border in Billy Mckay, the club’s top scorer for the past two campaigns.
Both Shinnie and Mckay, along with the likes of Josh Meekings, David Raven, Danny Devine, Greg Tansey, Liam Polworth, Marley Watkins and Nick Ross, will all see their contracts expire at the end of next season.
Talks over potentially extending their stays beyond then, however, are planned to take place with manager John Hughes when they return to begin pre-season next month as the club are determined to keep the current squad intact.
Caley Thistle chairman Kenny Cameron earlier in the week warned off potential suitors when issuing a statement on the club website insisting that no player was for sale unless "a truly exceptional offer" was received.
Cameron was responding to Aberdeen’s report interest in full back Shinnie, who also impressed towards the end of last season in a midfield berth. His consistent performances over the course of the campaign led to him being crowned both the players and fans player of the year.
The Dons will not comment on the speculation, but manager Derek McInnes is understood to be on the hunt for a left back with central defender Andrew Considine and former Caley Thistle winger Jonny Hayes both having filled that position of the Scottish League Cup winners last season.
Aberdeen were also rumoured to be targeting Partick Thistle’s Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, who is out of contract, but he is keen on moving to England with Wigan Athletic a possible destination.
This has meant attentions supposedly turning back to Shinnie recently, although Cameron has made it very clear any approach for the 22-year-old, who stood in as captain towards the end of the season for the injured Richie Foran, or any other player for that matter, are not welcome unless the offer is a considerably sizeable one.
Meanwhile, right back Raven feels it will "be pretty hard" to replace some of Caley Thistle’s talented players should those out of contract once next season reaches a conclusion opt not to stay.
The 29-year-old knows the success Inverness have had means bigger clubs will take an interest in trying to plunder their stars.
Last summer, Andrew Shinnie departed Caley Thistle to join English Championship club Birmingham City, but was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular in the season just finished.
Raven, however, can understand why he chose to depart, insisting the chance to join a big club can be difficult for any player to turn down.
"We’ve got a few good players at this club now, who are in that age bracket where they can move on and go on to bigger and better things," said the former Liverpool defender.
"It’s going to be tough to keep them at the end of next season. It is looking very far ahead, but to replace them is going to be pretty hard.
"If an opportunity comes up to play in the Championship down in England, or at other big clubs, then you’ve got to go and do it.
"I wouldn’t hold anything against anyone who goes and does that.
"For me, Andrew Shinnie made the right choice. He went to Birmingham and perhaps he’s been in and out the team, but he still made the right choice as far as I’m concerned. It’s a big club.
"It’s just something a club of our size has to deal with. We’ve got young lads like Ryan Christie coming in now from the youth teams, so that’s the way this club works."
