JOHN SUTTON has signed a pre-contract with St Johnstone and will join the McDiarmid Park outfit on July 1 following the expiration of his deal with Motherwell.

Sutton brings to an end a four-year, two-spell association with the Fir Park club for whom he turned down the offer a new deal to join Tommy Wright's side. The 31-year-old, who scored 13 goals in the SPFL Premiership, last season is also believed to have rejected a contract offer from Kilmarnock.

Sutton became the subject of increased speculation when Motherwell and St Johnstone missed out on the signing of Cliftonville striker Joe Gormley, the prolific 25-year-old who has agreed to join Sky Bet League One side Peterborough United.

The SPFL Premiership sides had been monitoring Gormley, who scored 41 goals for the Danske Bank Premiership side last season, since the end of last season and Motherwell had one bid rejected before a second was trumped by Peterborough's director of football Barry Fry.

Sutton's departure means Motherwell have lost three strikers since the end of the season. Lee Erwin joined Leeds United last week and Scott McDonald left the club following the expiration of his contract leaving youngster Craig Moore as the only recognised first-team striker on the books at Fir Park.