"We don't want to stand in someone's way when somebody's heart is on something like that.

"He made a heartfelt plea to go. Sometimes you have to be a wee bit more human and take the football side out of it and go and let him challenge himself at that level.

"But if he plays a full season there and does really well, we will get the benefit of it."

Holt also lost Ryan Hardie in the summer but he has added former Queen of the South forward Lyndon Dykes and Aymen Souda, while Scott Tiffoney is back from a loan spell.

"We have enough in the building," Holt said. "We are always looking. I'm not saying the door is shut. But we are more than happy with what we have got.

"Lyndon has come in and done great. We have wee Tiff, Aymen, Scott Robinson plays up front as well and scores goals. Chris Erskine can do a job up there. Big Lee Miller, if you can get him for a full season coming in and out when he's called upon, he will cause a threat.

"We're happy with the options but if you turn round and say 'there's Lionel Messi', I'm not going to turn him away."