Ross County boss Malky Mackay accepts star man Regan Charles-Cook will have plenty of options this summer – but the Scottish Premiership club remain one of them.
The top-flight’s leading scorer with 13 goals will be wanted by many suitors. He has been a player transformed this term, and his flair and clinical finishing against the best in the country has helped fire the Staggies to the brink of the top six.
The 25-year-old Grenada international has been a shining light for the Dingwall outfit, playing with a smile.
In terms of holding on to him, Mackay, chief executive Steven Ferguson and chairman Roy MacGregor are not giving up the ghost just yet, although the manager knows it will be a fight to retain their main man, who is out of contract when the campaign ends.
He said: “Regan’s a young lad, and I’ve spoken a lot about my thoughts on him this year.
“He’s in a situation where he’s out of contract in the summer, and he has scored a lot of goals, so he’s going to attract attention.
“He will have as many options as he and his agent decide to have in the summer.
“What we do is speak to him on a regular basis – him and his agent – and it has been a very amicable conversation with the club in terms of what we can offer.
“Then it’s up to an individual to decide if the grass is greener somewhere else.”
Mackay, who will lead County against Hearts in the Premiership on Saturday before Aberdeen away completes their pre-split schedule, feels Charles-Cook staying a County player into next term could push his stock even higher still.
He is also keen to stress the forward is giving everything to the cause, with deal talks far from hampering him.
He said: “Nobody has a crystal ball. You can go and do something and think it will work and it does, and it moves you on to something else, so that when you look back on your career you say you were glad you did that. Or you can say you wish you didn’t do that.
“There are so many factors involved in that, there is no right or wrong answer.
“We could say Regan should stay here, in this environment, and become an even more well-rounded player and get even more experience here, which would take him to another level.
“You could argue that both ways.
“What I’ve got is a player that I know is committed until the end of the season.”
Mackay knows ‘money talks’ and might well count…
When asked whether he’d be disappointed if Charles-Cook goes to another Premiership club, Mackay added: “No, because at the end of the day money talks.
“If someone decided that they’re going to double his wages, what can you do? Anybody would have to look at that.
“Genuinely, at the moment, we’ve got Steven (Ferguson) talking to some agents. We discuss things every day.
“My conversations with them have been that I will back them, so they have to keep backing themselves.
“If they don’t, people will be watching. If four or five scouts say yes, then the chief scout comes up and they don’t play well, that will affect them.
“The best thing players can do that are being picked every week is keep playing well for the club. That helps me, that helps the club and it helps themselves.”
Boss thrilled as duo sign fresh deals
Two players who certainly will be at Ross County beyond June are midfielder/defender Ben Paton and defender Connor Randall.
Paton, 21, brother of team-mate Harry, signed a contract extension until the summer of 2023, while Liverpool-born Randall, 26, will be in Dingwall until at least summer 2024.
Mackay praised Paton for showing early signs of potential, even when pitched into battle out of position amid a selection crisis.
He said: “Ben has come in from Blackburn after we looked at him on a trial basis. I liked what I saw.
“He is young and has a lot to learn, but at the same time there are really good raw attributes there. He’s a terrific young man and a top professional.
“Ben’s very comfortable on the ball. One of the most comfortable at the club.
“Ben had a baptism of fire when we had to throw him in at left-back in some big games. He acquitted himself very well.
“I want to give him his chance in midfield eventually, but he’s a young man with a longer-term future at the club, so I am delighted to get him in.”
‘Quiet’ leader Randall impresses boss
And the Staggies manager praised Randall, who has overcome injuries, to become a massive player for the team on and off the park.
He added: “Connor has, quietly, been one of the real leaders in the dressing room. He has shown a level of consistency that I love.
“Connor also trains the same way every day and trains the way he plays. He’s one of the first to speak up at our debriefs.
“He’s probably finding his most consistent level of fitness and performance in the last few years after it was a bit stop-start.
“But in terms of the way he’s applied himself in terms of fitness and training and the aftercare we deal with in terms of his body, it means he’s playing more football now than he’s probably ever played.
“I am delighted to have someone like Connor, who is an ambassador for our club. He’s another player who youngsters should look to in terms of how he acts every day.”
