Motherwell have budget to consider before offering stars new deals

Motherwell boss Mark McGhee has told his five senior players facing pay cuts it is up to them to limit their losses.

The Fir Park outfit have opened up talks on new deals with skipper Keith Lasley, goalkeeper Craig Samson, defenders Stephen McManus and Steven Hammell and striker Scott McDonald.

But McGhee's budget has been slashed and his out-of-contract veterans have been warned they will have to accept reduced offers if they are to stay with the Steelmen next season.

However, with an extra £90,000 on offer for every rung his team finishes higher up the Premiership, McGhee could receive some extra cash to work with if Well sneak into fourth place.

His side are currently fifth, five points behind St Johnstone with two games to play, and he has urged his team to fight all the way to the finish.

He said: "All the players we are talking about are out of contract so in essence, from June 1 they won't be earning anything anywhere.

"Now we have a smaller budget to spend next year and we don't have a choice but to make cut backs. Club owner Les Hutchison has left us in a good position. He left us stable - but with a budget we have to make work.

"So general manager Alan Burrows and I are carving that up as best we can. We need a squad. Next year we're working towards 20 players, maybe 21 if we go with a second goalkeeper.

"We already have players under contract and that leaves us with an amount of money to re-sign the ones already out of contract and find the ones we need to bring in to take us up to 21.

"But we can only offer what we have to offer and we're doing our very best.

"The talks are ongoing but we have a starting point and things can change. For instance, if we finish fourth or fifth it makes a difference compared to finishing sixth. We will factor that into the offers we make the lads."

While Well still cling on to hopes of catching Saints, they will hope to avoid slipping any further down the standings when they take on Ross County on Wednesday night in Dingwall.

Motherwell have yet to beat the Staggies this season and their last trip to the Global Energy Stadium ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Now McGhee is eager to see that disappointing run ended.

"Our last trip up there was probably one of our worst results of the season but we went there with a weakened squad, all our senior guys were missing so we discount that one a wee bit," he said.

"But we still need to go there and put on a performance.

"We've not done well against them, they won here at Fir Park too. So our record isn't great against County and we know it will be a difficult game."