Gillingham manager Steve Evans has revealed that bids have come in for three of their players - but the offers are way off the mark.

As expected, there has been interest in captain Kyle Dempsey, young defender Jack Tucker and leading scorer Vadaine Oliver. Evans says the club have received bids for all three.

Dempsey and Oliver are just back from injury but have been key players for Evans during his time as manager while Tucker has blossomed at the back for the Gills.

Evans doesn’t want to see anyone go but knows the club will have to sell if the price is right.

Speaking on Friday, Evans said: “We have had offers for three different players.

“Since the transfer window has been opened managers have been asking about Kyle Dempsey and clubs have been bidding our chairman for him.

“Vadaine Oliver and Jack Tucker have been subject to offers. Our chairman has asked me for valuations which I have given him. None of the (offers) have come near the valuations. I always get copied in on the correspondence but it is fairly clear they are nowhere near the levels they need to be.

“We don’t really want to be weakening ourselves at the moment, if we are going to weaken ourselves it has to be to give the club more stability, and when and if that happens I am sure our chairman will give me enough notice to strengthen our own squad.

“We have had those chats and he knows the type of players and what players in particular we would move for in the event that anyone triggered a number that met the chairman’s approval.”

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Gillingham have already added a striker to their ranks, with Tom Dickson-Peters arriving from Norwich City.

Evans is keen for another forward to add more experience to the attacking department. Oliver is coming back to fitness while John Akinde is struggling with a hamstring concern.

The Gills boss said: “John hasn’t played since December 11 and he is feeling a hamstring and that is a worry, Vadaine has just come back and beyond that we have two kids so I would like an experienced striker but they are hard to get.

“The rest of the squad we have real good balance and cover with two or three lads like Robbie McKenzie who can play a number of positions.”

Evans says they are still exploring both permanent and loan deals in a bid to strengthen but is wary of committing the club to contracts beyond this summer.

He said: “We have to be careful about permanent deals and whether it impacts into next season but for the right player we would do it. It has to sit the model in which we work to, we are looking at all options.

“There might be some deals around and some that could go longer than the summer.”