Hamilton Accies have said the offer from Rangers for Greg Docherty wasn’t even worth considering, and he will be going nowhere until they receive a bid that meets their valuation.

Rangers had a £300,000 offer for the 21-year-old booted out by Accies last week, and they are understood to be looking for around double that figure before they will allow the midfielder to speak to any other club.

Cardiff, Swansea and Preston have also been credited with an interest in Docherty, but with his recently extended contract running until the summer of 2020, Hamilton don’t feel under any pressure to sell for less than what they see as the player’s fair value.

And while manager Martin Canning wouldn’t want to stand in the way of a player’s career progression, he backed his club’s stance over one of his star players.

“I don’t get involved in the business side of things but from what I’ve been told there’s no deal close at the minute,” said Canning.

“My plan for the weekend is that Greg will be here and will play. Until I get a phone call saying he’s away to speak to whoever that would change things, but until a fair valuation has been met, it’s business as usual.

“You want to keep your strongest players here, but we also know as a club that if guys come through our academy and do well they deserve their move.

“We’ve always said if you come through here and do the business then somebody else wants to take you then - as long as the fair value is met - we will pat you on the back and wish you well. We want guys to go on and further their careers.

“We know that we are never going to keep guys like Greg Docherty who come through and do as well as he has done.

“I think it would be selfish of us to want to keep them here beyond a reasonable offer that the club sees fit. That’s part of the club’s ethos to bring these kids in, get them games and hope they take the opportunity they are given - and Greg certainly has.

“If something comes of it I will be the first person to shake Greg’s hand and say; ‘well done son, I hope you have a great career.’

“It can be issue for some players if bids are made that don’t meet a fair valuation that would entice you to sell, but it unsettles the player. But I don’t think that would be an issue here.”

Hamilton lost over £900,000 to fraudsters back in October, with directors having to plug the gap in the club's finances from their own pockets.

But chairman Les Gray has also reiterated that Hamilton won't be held to ransom over any of their players, with speculation surrounding Docherty, captain Michael Devlin and playmaker Ali Crawford.

“Ali Crawford and Michael Devlin are out of contract at the end of the season, and Greg Docherty is doing very well, so there will be interest,” Gray said. “He recently signed a new extension for two and a half years, so it’s just speculation.

“Nobody is going anywhere unless we receive an offer that is acceptable, and that hasn’t happened

“Ali and Michael are a bit different because they are out of contract at the end of the season, but until we receive an offer that is acceptable, there is nothing to talk about, and there is nothing on the table that is worth considering.

“Until somebody comes up with a number that says; ‘we’ll take him in January’, there is nothing to talk about.

“We’re going to get this speculation for another week until the January transfer window closes.

“Nothing changes, they are ours until the end of the season.”