'We've had some really good conversations with a couple of players' - Motherwell boss Graham Alexander eyes new signings

Despite the fact that 10 players departed the club at the end of the 2021-22 season, Motherwell manager Graham Alexander is not anticipating a high influx of new arrivals this summer, which is what happened down Fir Park way a year ago.
Graham Alexander is keen to conduct transfer business early this summer (Pic by Ian McFadyen)Graham Alexander is keen to conduct transfer business early this summer (Pic by Ian McFadyen)
Graham Alexander is keen to conduct transfer business early this summer (Pic by Ian McFadyen)

But the Fir Park gaffer – who has already added former Ross County midfielder Blair Spittal on a two-year deal - has stated that he is keen to get other transfer business done early, ahead of facing either Bala Town or Sligo Rovers in the Europa Conference League second qualifying round at Fir Park on Thursday, July 21. The second leg will follow in either Wales or Ireland a week later.

Alexander said: “Last year was quite an overhaul and we worked extremely hard and were very patient in our work.

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“You can sign enough players within two days of the season finishing if you wanted to, but it’s about getting the right ones. Who will improve what we already have to take us forward?

“So it narrows the group of players down that you can sign and, obviously, we have our restrictions with our budget. So there is a small group of players we feel we can achievably get who can improve us.

“Blair Spittal was a great start, I felt, for the summer. He had an excellent season for Ross County and was really eager to join us – which was great to see.

“He will be a great player for us and there are two or three we are talking to at the moment and have been for maybe a week or so. Sometimes you think you are close and it goes on for another week.

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“Sometimes you think it’s miles away and then it’s ready to be done in an hour. It’s really hard to gauge sometimes, but we’ve had some really good conversations with a couple of players.

“If we can get them, I think they will improve the group, but we are not looking to have a big overhaul.

“We have the basis of a really good squad, I think the players proved that last season but it’s always important to add to that with fresh blood and new faces.

“So we are working hard to do that and ideally if we can get them in before pre-season that is really important. Last season we started pre-season with eight or nine contracted players, it was really difficult.

“Hopefully we won’t have to go through that again this season.”

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