LUKE Williams doesn’t expect it to take long before a tug-of-war for his deadliest hitman’s signature sparks into life but the Swindon Town chief would be more than content if Nicky Ajose is not spirited away this summer.

In April, Town chairman Lee Power revealed that he had already been contacted by parties interested in acquiring Ajose’s services whilst Williams later admitted that it would be ‘sensible’ to plan for life without the 24-year-old, who scored a brace in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town to finish the season as the second-highest goalscorer in League One.

Swindon Advertiser readers voted the former Manchester United trainee, who signed a three-year deal at the County Ground after leaving Leeds United last September, Swindon’s player of the season this term and after Ajose enjoyed the most fruitful campaign of his career – he hit 25 goals in 40 appearances – Williams and co are braced for the vultures to swoop.

However, if Town are able to keep hold of a man with an insatiable appetite for goalscoring, then that would suit their head coach down to the ground.

“Obviously, you need goals and when you have got a striker who has scored 25 goals, it’s so important,” Williams told the local media.

“To be honest, we have to say that if Nicky is in hot demand, which I am sure he is, and if somebody tables an offer that the football club can’t refuse, then we have to accept that and we will find the next player to work with and try to make plenty of opportunities for somebody else to score goals.

“I am not sure how Nicky would feel about it but me personally; I wouldn’t lose too much sleep if Nicky was not whisked away from here at all.

“I think it’s a great thing to have somebody who can do the hardest thing in football.”