Stags wait on record bid, but boss denies it is Posh striker Taylor

But as supporters speculated over the identity of the player involved in the huge bid, boss Steve Evans denied it was Peterborough striker Paul Taylor.

Evans also has an agreement in place for another player, with no fee involved, and is now expecting decisions on both on Wednesday after tomorrow night’s big Checkatrade Trophy at home to Wycombe Wanderers.

The local press in Peterborough said that a reported offer from Mansfield of £200,000 for Taylor was turned down and boss Grant McCann had issued a ‘hands-off’ warning over Taylor.

Evans did not elaborate on that story other than to say his £300,000 bid was for a different player.

“It’s not Paul Taylor,” he said. “He is a young man who is a very good player, but it’s unfair for me to say anything other than that.

“He is a top player and he belongs to Darragh MacAnthony and Grant McCann. That’s the way it should be. Until that changes we don’t talk about him any more.”

Evans continued: “The bid is for another player.

“The deadline we have given them is Wednesday and if we don’t hear anything back on Wednesday then my recommendation to John Radford is we will walk away.

“We have to. We made our bid with respect and we have to be treated with respect. We gave a deadline and we have to stick with that deadline – otherwise don’t put a deadline on it.

“He is a young man we’ve watched a few times. He is a talented boy who’s got something to bring and gives the opportunity, we think, for the chairman in the future to make some money.

“I think he will be an investment rather than just buying someone for short term gain.

“It would be for longer term, but it would be someone who I think would light up our performances even more – and we’ve been good in recent weeks.

“This would help the group as we have some talent in that dressing room – which we saw on Saturday.”

Evans confirmed he had spoken further with another target yesterday and explained: “We’ve had a chat and he’s gone back in for a further chat with his club today.

“I have told him I will pick it back up on Wednesday. I doesn’t really want to talk with him now. I want to leave him with the conversation we’ve had as I want a real focus on the Wycombe Wanderers game.

“I don’t really want to give any clues as it means if we don’t get him someone else might try to get him. But he is a talented player for sure.

“He won’t be a fee. He currently has 18 months of a contract to run, so we we would look to take that over.”

Along with those two, Evans is looking to add one more loan player and has a couple of irons in the fire with the possibility of one of the current squad heading out on loan too.

“You have to live in a world that clubs are trying to do some other business. It’s like buying a house – sometimes you’re in a chain,” he said.

“We’ve all been in that position and you have to respect it and move on.

“I have said to other managers that have asked about one or two of ours, if you don’t want to wait then move on and get someone else.

“We are trying desperately hard to make sure the majority, if not all, of this group, maybe bar the odd exception, stays put and we just add some quality to it.”