Sam Cosgrove: ‘No conversation’ with Stoke over striker, says Aberdeen boss

Derek McInnes admits Aberdeen’s players may be sold for “the right offer”, but says there have been no discussions with Stoke City over Sam Cosgrove.

Reports indicated the English Championship club had been given a £4m valuation for the striker, 23.

The Pittodrie boss insists his club are in a “strong position to say yes or no” to offers for any players in January.

“There has been no conversation with any Championship club,” manager McInnes said.

“If a bid gets put in for any of our players it’s up to our board to consider but from my conversations with the board we all know how important Sam is to us. If the right offer comes in for any of our players, players will be sold, that’s the way it is.

“But we’re confident enough that we want to make sure the right offers come in. We can’t do anything about that – all we can do is if the offer comes in be in a strong position to say yes or no, and I think we are in a position to say yes or no and that’s not always the case.”

The English striker – who celebrated his birthday on Monday – struck his 18th goal of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 win over St Mirren.

• Cosgrove up there with anybody – McInnes