Dundee United skipper Jon Daly believes it is only a matter of time before bigger clubs start casting covetous eyes over Gary Mackay-Steven.
The 21-year-old winger joined the Tangerines from Airdrie last summer and has fast become one of United’s star performers.
He was in outstanding form again on Sunday at Ibrox as United dumped Rangers out of the Scottish Cup, setting up the opening goal for Gavin Gunning and generally tormenting the home defence all afternoon.
His performances persuaded Tannadice boss Peter Houston to offer the Thurso-born player a two-year contract extension last month which Mackay-Steven was delighted to accept. However, Daly believes that if the youngster maintains his meteoric progress, other clubs may come calling.
He said: ”The strikers are getting great service at the moment from the likes of Gary Mackay-Steven, Paul Dixon and Stuart Armstrong, while Robbie Neilson is starting to get forward as well … We have plenty of boys who can put in a good ball.
”It is great as a striker to know you are getting that type of service. But Gary is obviously a different type of player. He gives the boys at the back a breather when he has the ball as he runs at players and gets free-kicks.
”He has improved massively. Whether it was a confidence thing or just stepping up to full-time training, he has really come on and, if he keeps developing like that, I can’t see him being here for too long.”
Mackay-Steven paid the price for running Rangers ragged in the form of some hefty challenges and Houston paid tribute to the player’s bravery.
He said: ”I am learning about Gary all the time. Sometimes you find wingers get kicked and don’t want to get back up but he just gets on with it. I like that about him he’s got a bit of guts and bravery about him.”
Meanwhile, Daly has reinforced his manager’s message that United cannot allow the Rangers win to be an isolated result and that they must perform to the same high level when they face St Johnstone and former Tannadice team-mate Fran Sandaza on league business this weekend.
The big Irishman said: ”There’s no point going to Ibrox and winning and then getting beaten by St Johnstone. So it is a big game for us at the weekend and we will be looking to pick up three points to claw us back into the top six.
”Over the last few years, games between us have usually been quite tight. It’s often just the odd goal that decides things and hopefully we can be on the right side of the result on Saturday.”
He added: ”Fran is a good player and he has scored a lot of goals this year. Playing against your old club, it is always good to get a goal or two.
”He was quite unlucky with injury when he was here. He had a hernia problem which kept him out for a while. The timing of it was quite bad as he was coming towards the end of his contract. It is always hard to get your deal renewed when you have just come back from injury.
”I think he has gone away, worked hard and he is showing just how good a player we all know he is. He will probably get a decent move at the end of this contract he has with St Johnstone. If he can stay injury free, then he will keep banging in the goals.
”So the boys will have to be on their toes but if we play like we did at the weekend, we should be OK.”
Photo by Kirk O’Rourke/PA