Fulham have reportedly slapped a HUGE price tag on Kevin McDonald - but look past the money and you'll see a bigger statement from the club.

£7million would be a club record for Nottingham Forest - and one they won't pay for a 28-year-old - but a price tag like that is so much more, it shows rival clubs that Fulham won't be pressured into selling their best players, while it also shows the players how much they're valued at the club.

They'll be told that in private of course, in meetings in the bowels of Motspur, but this is the closest you'll get to hearing it in the public domain, it's a subliminal message to the player and it lets them know they're prepared to show everyone just how much they value them.

Kevin McDonald and Tom Cairney are no exceptions, but both have been pursued in different manners which have warranted a different response.

Firstly, Newcastle's pursuit of Cairney has been kept out of the public domain as much as the North-East club could manage , which has meant Fulham have not needed to 'slap price tags' on him and have simply just rejected any bid coming their way, while making sure the player knows he is the key ingredient next season.

On the ball: Kevin McDonald:

Nottingham Forest's pursuit of McDonald, meanwhile, has been a bit more public, with their interest leaked to the national media as a way of unsettling the Scotsman, but Fulham's response has been perfect and will ward off any more suitors for their midfield anchor.

And it's a big statement.

Sure, every player has their price, and other clubs may have seen a McDonald as 28-year-old with a couple of years left in him and taken the £3million.

But K-Mac is so important to Fulham that selling him just isn't an option, especially if they want to go one better and get automatic promotion this season.

Their unwillingness to sell means only one thing, Slavisa Jokanovic and his side mean business this season, and they're going to do everything they can to ensure they either win the Championship or finish second.

Tom Cairney celebrates his equaliser against Leeds

Keeping hold of the likes of McDonald, Cairney and Stefan Johansen will go a long way in ensuring Fulham mount a serious title bid - we all know with the right additions they're going to a be force this coming season.

There's also another layer to this - it shows that Tony Khan and the Board back Jokanovic.

They aren't thinking about selling, they're giving the manager the tools needed to get them back to the Premier League, and by keeping the core of last season's team they're well on the way to doing that.

Fulham aren't messing about this season - the transfer business won't be rushed, it'll be calculated with the right players coming in to improve the side and to push the club into the Premier League.