CLUBS interested in buying Worcester City's star striker Mark Owen could have to fork out £50,000 or more.

That is the view of club chairman Dr Michael Sorensen, after the club turned down a 'substantial offer' for the 22-year-old from Burton Albion.

Owen, who has scored 19 goals this season to follow 25 last year, has been watched by several Football League clubs as well as Burton, whose manager Nigel Clough has been tracking the player for some time.

Dr Sorensen said: "Mark Owen is not available for transfer unless someone is prepared to make a serious offer of £50-60,000, or if a Football League club follows up interest in him. One can't stand in the way of players wanting to better themselves."

He based that figure on the example of Conference side Doncaster Rovers, who have just paid £60,000 to Unibond League Division One side Accrington Stanley for striker Gary Williams.

Dr Sorensen added: "The going rate for a proven goalscorer even at our level is over £20,000. For a young player who is a proven goalscorer at our level, the offer was nowhere near what we would want.

"If we did accept an offer for a player like Mark Owen, then we would obviously need to move quickly and have players in mind who we can replace him with, and they aren't there."

Even though the club reportedly has an accumulated debt of more than £500,000 and contractual obligations have restricted manager John Barton's ability to improve his squad, Dr Sorensen said there was no pressing need to sell their better players.

"When the new ground development goes through then we will be one of the richest clubs in non-league football.

"There is no need to sell any of our better players, and we intend to get promoted by developing the team, not wrecking it."