GRAHAM ALEXANDER has insisted that Motherwell will look to complete transfer business early this summer ahead of their Europa Conference League campaign in July.
The Steelmen were rewarded with a European spot after finishing fifth in the Scottish Premiership last term, and in yesterday’s draw, they were paired with the winners of the first-round qualifying tie between Bala Town and Sligo Rovers.
Motherwell will compete in European competition for the first time in two years and Alexander is confident that his squad will be raring to go come July 21.
The Fir Park boss has already added Blair Spittal to his ranks, and he has now revealed that the club are in talks with at least three other players ahead of returning to pre-season on July 3.
Alexander explained: “Last year was quite an overhaul and we worked extremely hard and were very patient in our work.
“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.
“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.”
Alexander was hoping for an exotic trip away for his side in European qualifying, but the close-to-home draw will allow for supporters to travel in big numbers to either Wales or Ireland.
The first leg of the clash will take place in North Lanarkshire on July 21, before the return leg a week later on July 28.
Alexander continued: “I said last season I was looking forward to a plane journey somewhere but it doesn’t seem to be that way – more like a ferry for this one but it’ll be a game against one of two competitive teams.
“We had four players still playing yesterday due to the internationals so they’ll start back later and then the games will come thick and fast so maybe the lack of travelling and the fact we’re at home in the first leg will help, even though we’re going to Austria for a training camp anyway.
“The club will look after us, we have good professionals and we’ll be ready to go. It’s a good draw for the fans, it makes it achievable to get good numbers there.
“Whoever we would have been playing, I know there is a hard-core support who will follow us everywhere. The only problem is that we don’t know who we are playing until the week before.
“It will be lastminute.com trying to organise everything, but it is achievable to get to Wales and Ireland for fans and that will be great.
“You see the Tartan Army following Scotland and it’s more than a game, it’s an experience. Hopefully our supporters will enjoy it.”
