MALKAY MACKAY is not surprised Marlon King has been linked with a move away from Vicarage Road.

The Hornets confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that they had turned down a £4m bid for King from Fulham who paid a similar amount for the unproven but promising Hameur Bouazza in the summer.

The offer fell way below the club's valuation of a player who has scored 11 goals this season and is contracted to the club until 2009. Whether the Cottagers make an improved offer for King remains to be seen.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd is desperate to hang onto a player who is integral in their quest to bounce back at the first attempt and knows selling your prize asset would send out the wrong signal to his rivals and the fans.

However Boothroyd's hand could be forced if King feels the time is right to leave and ply his trade in the Premiership, albeit with a side who are currently in the bottom three.

Fulham financial director Chris Bailey, who left Vicarage Road in the summer, could be a key player in any prospective deal as he will be aware of any clauses in King's lucrative contract, his current salary and the Hornets' need to find the money to fund the redevelopment of Vicarage Road.

Boothroyd will be imploring the board to keep King on the basis that he expects the player to fire Hornets to promotion and a £60m jackpot.

Said MacKay: "We've got a guy who is one of the top scorers in the division and if he is not attracting attention then I would worry," said the Scot.

"From my point of view I would love to see him stay here and bang in as many goals for us between now and the end of the season, be Watford's starting forward in the Premiership next season and show what he can do in the Premiership. That's my hope for him. We don't want players to leave as we want to get to the Premiership ourselves."

Boothroyd believes the fact that King is now FA cup tied may put off any suitors, although all Premiershp strugglers would surely swap a Cup run for survival.

"The fact that he played today (against Palace) should dispel that," he said. "I don't want to lose Marlon, he has been a revelation since he joined form Notts Forest. It would have to be an unbelievable offer, with several players coming the other way. I'd like the several players and to keep Marlon as well, because I'm selfish like that."