It's a question that has been on the lips of many Chester FC fans since the transfer window slammed shut.

How much could the Blues get for teenage defender Sam Hughes at a tribunal?

There is no definitive answer to that question, though, and the figure, should Hughes reject the contract offer which has been tabled, will be decided by a tribunal panel come the end of the season.

Chester have been burned by tribunals in the past, of course, and the paltry sum received for Kingsley James back in 2015 prior to his move to FC Halifax Town was particularly galling.

And when the Ben Heneghan scenario played out last summer, where Motherwell exploited a loophole and managed to snare the highly-rated defender on a free transfer, many fans were rightly aghast at being unable to recoup any funds for someone whose sale was expected to boost the coffers at the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium.

But the Hughes situation shouldn't cause too much alarm.

Chester received a bid for the defender from Barnsley during the transfer window in excess of £50,000, the Chronicle understands, rising above that figure with financial increments attached.

The Blues rebuffed the approach from the Oakwell side and they failed to come back with a revised offer before the window closed at the end of last month.

Sam Hughes in action against Dover earlier in the season

The reason behind the decision was that Chester felt the offer was less than Hughes' true value in the market and they have been compiling compelling evidence for some time in the eventuality of a tribunal come the end of the season.

Clubs remain interested in Hughes. Very interested.

The Blues have had the bid from Barnsley and that actually gives them some more ammunition and some security at a tribunal, a concrete bid from a Championship side.

Two Premier League clubs and a host of Championship clubs are all monitoring what happens with the situation and it is understood some have already indicated that they value Hughes far higher than Barnsley's bid.

Scouts from the likes of Swansea City, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Fulham have all sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old this season.

So what happens if it does go to a tribunal?

Chester and another club could agree to a satisfactory compensation figure without the need for it to go to the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), a body formed of four to five people who will decide on the matter.

The PFCC is comprised of people from within the football industry who possess legal experience of experience in the handling of contracts and transfers, people such as club secretaries and lawyers.

The PFCC will then pore over the finer points of each case.

The status of the two clubs is considered first and foremost, then the age of the player. The length that the player has been with the football club, how much of a role said club have had in his development and the costs involved in that process are all taken into account.

Sam Hughes made his debut for the club last season

Other factors such as how many senior appearances have been made and interest from other teams are also considerations. Sell on clauses can also be added at the tribunal stage.

The Blues value Hughes above £100,000 and are confident of achieving something close to that figure should it reach the tribunal stage.

In some instances, tribunals can prove even more beneficial to clubs than first anticipated with Oxford United stunned after being landed with a £200,000 initial bill for Plymouth Argyle defender Curtis Nelson in November 2016, with Nelson, 23, a graduate of Argyle's academy.

A dossier of examples of previous cases has been compiled in evidence with this end stage in mind by Blues officials.

Hughes has had a fine season and his development at Chester has been quite staggering since he first burst on to the first team scene last year.

He has a bright future ahead of him and the club are confident of ensuring an acceptable outcome for all parties involved.

Expect a flood of scouts to the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium between now and the end of the season.