With 11 goals to his name already this season, it is no great surprise that Dunfermline’s Faissal El Bakhtaoui has started attracting covetous looks from other clubs.
However, Pars chairman Bob Garmory insists the French-Morrocan forward is going nowhere.
El Bakhtaoui’s burgeoning reputation increased again on Tuesday night when he scored two of Dunfermline’s three goals to help dump Premiership Dundee out of the League Cup.
The 22-year-old is believed to have been watched by scouts from other sides but Garmory has put up a “no-sale” sign over the striker who is contracted to the League One club until May, next year.
The chairman said: “We have set ourselves up to get out of this division and Faissal is a terrific asset.
“He has scored 11 goals so far and he is a great lad you could just see the way kids flocked around him at our open day.
“The board of Dunfermline Athletic Football club have no need or desire to let any player leave until we are promoted end of.
“In fact, our manager Allan Johnston is still looking to add to the squad and strengthen.”
Until last Saturday’s setback at Peterhead, Dunfermline had made a blistering start to the season, winning their first five games, scoring 25 goals in the process.
Garmory was naturally delighted they got back to winning ways by taking the scalp of Premiership Dundee in a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night and he is equally pleased by the entertaining style of football the Pars are playing.
He said: “It was a fantastic game for us on Tuesday night.
“There wouldn’t have been many who thought we could beat Dundee considering the gulf between the two sides.
“We are in the third tier of Scottish football while they are in the Premiership.
“However, we made a really positive start and there were great performances all over the park. The whole team kept going for the entire 90 minutes.
“To give Dundee their due, after they equalised, they were the only attacking force until the last 10 minutes.
“Our defence held firm and our keeper pulled off some good saves but every team needs a wee bit of luck and to score two goals at the end against a Premiership side showed that all the good work done by Allan Johnston is paying dividends.
“I think every fan, no matter what club they support, would like to see their team play good, quality attacking football.
“Hopefully, the style of football we are playing is persuading more people to come along to our games. It is sometimes easy to forget but football is part of the entertainment business.
“So it was great that we had 4,000 at the Cowdenbeath game recently and another 3,800 for the Dundee match.
“I have to say a big thank you to the Dundee fans who made the trip to see their side.
“While their team lost, I am sure they would agree that the game was a proper cup tie and a fine advert for Scottish football.”