MOTHERWELL have already snapped up Inverness midfielder Liam Polworth and Livingston defender Declan Gallagher on pre-contract deals for next season but they’re now having to wait for either signing targets – because they’re holding out for more money from non-league clubs down south.

Chief executive Alan Burrows insists that the club have already identified the players they want to bring in but insists they’ve no option but to play the waiting game.

“You’d be amazed – every time we try to sign a player Kilmarnock, St Johnstone and Livingston are in for them at the same time,” he shrugged.

“We’re all shopping in the same market and all you can do is try to get in early. The flip side of that is that good players aren’t in a hurry to join the likes of ourselves; they want to see what else is out there, hoping that it’s maybe someone bigger who’ll pay them more money.

“I didn’t realise that until I became chief executive and started negotiating with agents, who’d tell me who else was in for their client and how much they’d been offered to sign.

“Every time our chief scout, Martin Foyle, goes to watch a game he sees the same old faces in the stand.

“Nobody is ever going to retire on the money they make playing for the bottom six clubs in the Premiership.

“We’re all much of a muchness so players will hold off in case a team from League One or League Two or the National League in England comes in for them because they have more cash than we do – they’re in a different stratosphere.

“That can be frustrating because we’re ready to go with deals while they’re waiting to see what happens. But at least we can guarantee them Premiership football.”