Former Dunfermline and Dundee United captain Paul Paton fears the Pars may be forced to sell star striker Kevin Nisbet for a knockdown price.
Premiership new boys United are keen to get their hands on the talented frontman, who scored 23 goals for the East End Park side before time was called on the Championship season.
Paton, who left the Fife club along with 16 teammates in May, is worried that the coronavirus crisis may mean Nisbet has to leave on the cheap.
The 33-year-old midfielder said: “I don’t think they can afford to keep him if they are struggling as badly as they say they are.
“I am pretty sure they won’t want to sell their prize asset but I think they will have to. That would disappoint a lot of fans.
“I also think his value will have come down from last January as well because he can sign a pre-contract this January.
“If they don’t sell Kevin in this window then they could lose a lot of money on him and financially I don’t think they can do that.”
Paton, also an ex-United skipper and St Johnstone player, feels the Tangerines could have two Scotland strikers in their side if they snap up Nisbet.
He thinks the 23-year-old is capable of following in Tannadice star Lawrence Shankland’s shoes and making it into the senior international set-up.
Paton said: “Shanks would have won the player of the year in the Championship because his goals fired Dundee United to the title and rightly so.
“If you are talking about a Scottish striker, though, I don’t think there is a better one at his age than Kevin.
“He has everything you need to play for Scotland.
“I am not sure whether he wants to go to the Premiership, England or abroad.
“I think he could play for any team in the Premiership and even if the Old Firm were to take a punt on him then he would progress as much as he did last season and turn into a top, top striker.
“Shanks is a proven striker and went and got a Scotland cap and there is no reason why Kevin can’t go and do that as well.
“Shanks has scored a lot of goals in the Championship, as has Kevin, although Lawrence also did it at Ayr for a couple of years as well.
“I think Shanks is a good penalty box striker but Kevin has a lot more to his game.
“He has been brilliant this season.”
Paton has had some top marksmen as teammates over a long career but Nisbet is the best he has worked with since a certain Turkish star at United.
He added: “He has height, ability, power, pace and finishing ability.
“He is the best striker I have played with since Nadir Ciftci.
“It is amazing the way he has grown since he first came in for pre-season, everything from his body shape to his mentality has been unbelievable.
“Everything about him is better now.
“He is now a yard striker and he has everything you need to be a top player.”
Meanwhile, Paton has had to find work outside the game he loves after making his East End Park exit.
He revealed: “It is a nightmare but what can you do?
“I have started working this week. I am doing 40 or 50 hours a week just to keep myself ticking over.
“You need to do what you need to do to get by and then you can assess things.
“I have a family to support and I haven’t had a wage in football since May.
“It isn’t easy and you just need to get on with things.
“I am not sure what I am going to do football-wise.
“I feel I can still play in the Premiership for some clubs but it is about getting that chance.
“I have had a few approaches and I will consider things, whether I remain full-time or part-time once things start to firm up.”
