Ayr United chairman Lachlan Cameron says reported Nottingham Forest target Lawrence Shankland will leave this summer.
Heavily linked with a City Ground move in January, Shankland has now now been told that he will leave Somerset Park even if the club are promoted to the Scottish Premiership.
The 23-year-old striker has scored 34 goals this season in all competitions for newly promoted Ayr, who for months looked set to make it back to back promotions in Scotland.
His impressive performances have attracted interest from Rangers, Celtic and Sunderland as clubs begin to circle.
On Saturday, Ayr United take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the second leg of their play-off quarter final but will have to draw inspiration from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur's midweeks heroics if they are to overcome a 3-1 home defeat in the first leg.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Cameron revealed that his star striker will depart this summer as the club continue to strengthen their track record of unearthing talent and allowing them to progress.
Michael Rose, a defender who received plenty of attention for his performances in the Scottish Championship, has already made the move to join Coventry City ahead of next season and Cameron is expecting his teammate Shankland to follow in his footsteps.
"We won’t stand in his way," said Cameron.
"He’s done well by us and we’re prepared to back him and I think it’s only a good thing for us as a club.
"If we want to be able to attract players like Lawrence we need to help them eventually get to a higher level.
The players who may have said their final goodbyes at Nottingham Forest
"If we can continue that steady stream of talented players coming to us at the start of their careers then the better chance we have of moving forward as a club.
"And once we’re in a stronger position we’ll have more of a chance of holding on to players like Lawrence. But right now we’re not in a position to do that."
