SCUNTHORPE United have, as yet, not asked Rotherham United for a price for striker Adam Le Fondre.

The Iron have been linked with the forward throughout the summer but manager Alan Knill is insistent that, at present, speculation is just that.

"I never said we were interested in Adam Le Fondre earlier in the summer," said the United boss.

"I said he was a good player, and a goalscorer, and I have seen a lot of him.

"But that was as far as it goes, everyone else said we were interested.

"If they are good players then we should be interested – I'd be interested in Lionel Messi because he is a good player.

"His record speaks for itself but we are probably no different to anyone else in the sense that if someone scores as many goals as him then you should be interested.

"I don't know what Rotherham want for Adam Le Fondre.

"So read into that what you like."

But if the club were to go for a player of that calibre, Knill is confident he has enough finances behind him to secure any of his targets.

"Yes I think we have the financial clout," continued the Iron boss.

"If we are all agreed there is a striker we can go and get, then I am quite sure the board would help me get that.

"In the past that has been proven – (Gary) Hooper, (Martin) Paterson, (Martyn) Woolford, (Paul) Hayes – they have all been bought when others, probably of this club's size, could not afford those players.

"When I was at Bury, we played Hereford and Hooper played for them.

"We made an enquiry and the price for Hooper was too much for Bury and probably a lot of the clubs the same size as Scunthorpe.

"They were the only ones who would spend that money.

"We all knew about Woolford, we all knew about Paterson, but we couldn't afford it and yet this club did."

Rumours have circled Glanford Park regularly over the summer months, with suggestions star midfielder Michael O'Connor was heading for Peterborough.

But that has not affected the management team and their preparations for the new campaign, which starts in just over three weeks time.

"It doesn't concern me because there has been no bid," said Knill when asked about a second offer from Posh for the Northern Irishman.

"Speculation is speculation. When the player doesn't play, everybody puts two and two together and thinks they have come up with the correct answer.

"But the correct answer is Michael has been injured, with a knock on his knee.

"I have not spoken to anybody from Peterborough so the speculation is irrelevant, that is the truth.

"To be honest, I don't take any notice. I don't read the papers or listen to the radio so I don't hear it.

"It wouldn't bother me anyway because I know the truth and I am planning for Michael O'Connor being here next season – we have never done anything different.

"If Peterborough's offer was one that we couldn't refuse then you have to make alternate plans.

"Right now he is in our plans to be in contention to start the season."