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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Ben Banks

Dundee United didn't hand Motherwell major transfer fee as 'Well boss explains Tony Watt cash situation

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander says the Steelmen have to work within their financial boundaries to make signings work.

Alexander lost top scorer Tony Watt to Premiership rivals Dundee United last week after the forward penned a pre-contract at Tannadice for this summer.

United opted to pay Motherwell to get him now but Alexander says the fee won't have a big bearing in what he does during the transfer window's final week.

The 'Well boss says any new faces that arrive in Lanarkshire must fit into their wage structure. His side are targeting a defender and host Hibs on Wednesday night.

Alexander said: "It hasn't made a massive difference to what we do (Dundee United's fee for Watt). The board have been quite clear that if there is something we want to do, they'll help us, so that's helpful.

"It's great to have that support. It's really important for us but we do need to remember the restrictions we are under. We have a strict wage structure.

"We have to stick to that for the long-term health of the club. We are quite clear on the parameters we have and if it's outside that, we can't do it.

"If it's inside those parameters, we'll try and do it. Not all finance that comes into the club means it becomes available.

(SNS Group)

"There's money there if we want to do something but it isn't millions of pounds. It's certainly enough to get the right players to make us better."

One of the Steelmen's winter signings is attacking midfielder Ross Tierney, who has arrived from League of Ireland side Bohemian on a long-term deal.

He made an impressive debut from the bench in Saturday's 2-1 Scottish Cup fourth round win over Morton and Alexander can't wait to see more of him.

Motherwell's manager said: "It's been a frustrating wait as we signed him quite a while ago. We had to wait until January to bring him in and then he was ill, so it took a bit longer getting him to match speed.

"We saw the talent when we watched him over the summer. We have saw it in training and so have the other players, which is important.

"It was great for the supporters to see him as well. I thought he had a great impact on the game. He's something different from the rest of the players. Hopefully we get him a Motherwell shirt that fits him!"

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