Brown - Turner will cost

Hull boss aiming to keep hold of defender

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 8th January 2008

Hull City Michael Turner

Turner: Available for the right price

Hull boss Phil Brown has warned that he will only sell defender Michael Turner for 'very big money'.

The centre-back has been in superb form this season and was linked with a move to Celtic over the weekend.

Scouts from a number of Premier League clubs are also understood to have watched Turner in action, and Brown accepts that speculation about his future is inevitable.

Brown is looking to keep hold of the 24-year-old but admits he would be willing to part with him if a considerable offer came in.

"Is Michael Turner for sale? Well I keep saying that every player in my squad is available if the right money was offered," Brown said in the Hull Daily Mail.

"But as far as Michael is concerned it would take very big money for us to even consider it.

"The season Michael is having, it does not surprise me that clubs from the Premier Leagues in England and Scotland are looking at him.

"As yet, I can say there has been no firm bid tabled for him."

Turner made his 29th consecutive start in Saturday's 3-2 FA Cup defeat to Plymouth and Brown acknowledges that he has contributed hugely to Hull's success this season.

The Tigers are just outside the play-off places and Brown thinks a top-six finish is within reach.

He said: "All we are asking for from Michael is for him to maintain that level of consistency and we'll be there or thereabouts by the end of the season."