Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara admits Nadir Ciftci’s transfer situation has already turned into a saga.
However, he insists he won’t let it distract him from preparing the team for the forthcoming trip to the Netherlands.
McNamara also stressed that it doesn’t seem to be bothering the player, who trained once again with the Tangerines at the weekend.
The Turkish frontman is scheduled to fly out to Arnhem with the rest of the United squad on Thursday.
Celtic continue to be interested in him but they have now twice failed to better the £1 million-plus figure the Tannadice club accepted from Wigan Athletic last week.
The player knocked back the Latics and, through agent Pierre van Hooijdonk, expressed a desire to move to the Hoops instead.
The problem is that United would rather sell to anyone other than the Scottish champions after receiving so much fallout from the double sale of Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong in the January transfer window.
A Tannadice source last night insisted they are prepared to play a waiting game over Ciftci, saying: “Until someone offers the right price he is a DUFC player and under contract end of story.”
McNamara is the one left to deal with a player who could, at the ring of a phone, be off to pastures new.
It is hardly ideal preparation for pre-season but the manager will proceed on the basis that Ciftci will still be his player when kick-off comes against Aberdeen on August 2.
“As far as I know, there is no change from the other day,” said McNamara as he took training at St Andrews. “He has turned down Wigan and the other offers haven’t been enough for us to let him speak to anyone else.
“Nadir is fine. He understands what is happening. It is a saga but it is a saga every transfer window.
“There isn’t much more I can say because I don’t know what is going to happen, whether he is going to be here or there.
“I have to prepare as if he is going to be here with us and the lad needs to do the same.
“We’ve not spoken about it because there is no need to do that.
“The club hasn’t accepted anything from Celtic for the player to have an opinion on.
“Obviously there has been interest there but it has not been enough for him to go and speak to them yet.
“There is nothing else I or the lad can say just now.”
McNamara was asked about comments from Van Hooijdonk claiming Ciftci is “flattered” by the interest from Parkhead.
He replied: “Well, he (Ciftci) would be. He’s not going to tell lies about it. He will be flattered. Everyone wants to be wanted, whether it is here or anywhere else.
“Everyone wants to be liked, not just by the club you are at. People like praise. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
McNamara is confident that the Ciftci saga is not affecting the rest of the squad at such an important stage of the summer.
He added: “The other players shouldn’t be bothered by it. If anything, it is flattering and something the players are used to.
“It shows that our players are doing well if they are linked with clubs and moves. I don’t think the rest of the players will be fazed by it at all.”
United’s trip to Holland kicks off with a friendly match against Vitesse Arnhem on Friday night.