SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power will demand top dollar for striker Nicky Ajose if he is forced to sell his prized asset this summer.

Power stated on a fans’ phone-in on BBC Wiltshire earlier this week that he is desperate to keep hold of their leading marksman but admits his hand may be forced.

Ajose arrived at the County Ground on a free transfer last September and went on to net 25 goals in all competitions, finishing joint top scorer in League One.

Although Power revealed he has not yet been inundated with offers for Ajose, the 24-year-old will not be allowed to go on the cheap should interest ramp up.

“I would like to keep hold of Nicky but what supporters need to understand is it’s not just ‘Lee owns the football club so Lee’s going to do this, Lee’s going to do that’. It doesn’t work like that,” said Power.

“There’s Nicky Ajose too and you have got to think if you’re Nicky Ajose, you have just scored 25 goals and if Championship clubs or bigger clubs than Swindon come calling and want to offer him three times the money he gets paid here, it’s not really then a decision for me.

“He is one of our highest earners but I knew the talent and the goals that he would bring this year, that’s why we brought him into the football club but it’s not just based on my decision.

“I would like to keep him, I’d like to keep Jon (Obika) as well, I think they are a real threat and I will be doing everything I can to keep him.

“Every player wants to progress and move forward. He knows my views, I’d like to keep him but for some reason if he wants to go, it’s my job to try and get the biggest amount of money I can for him for the football club.

“The phone hasn’t been ringing all the time for Nicky, it might do and we will have to see where it takes us but of course I’d like to keep Nicky and the rest of that XI, which we could call our first XI, and bring in some additions to tighten that squad up a little bit and I don’t think we’d be too far away.”