Dundee United hope to persuade Motherwell to let Tony Watt leave this month - and could even throw in a couple of players to sweeten the deal.
The Steelmen’s top-scorer left 'Well chiefs stunned last week when he turned down the chance to remain at Fir Park next season in order to pen a pre-contract with United.
But Terrors boss Tam Courts is desperate to get the 28-year-old up to Tannadice ASAP and has asked club bosses to open discussions on a January switch.
The two sides will sit down for talks this week, with United considering offering up a couple of makeweights to get the move agreed early.
Courts would like to see everything signed off this week so he has enough time to settle Watt into his squad in time for his team’s return to Premiership action against St Mirren on January 18.
But Motherwell boss Graham Alexander insists he’s still waiting for United to lodge an offer.
But the former Scotland defender insists he would be happy to keep Watt in his plans for the remainder of the season if a deal can’t be struck.
Alexander opened up on the 'unusual situation’ while speaking on the Press Box Podcast, saying: "He will be leaving. The timeline of when he leaves is not 100 per cent. It's not even been talked about, to be honest.
“We've been told that he's signed a pre-contract at Dundee United and that's as far as it goes.
"It's quite an unusual situation for me, because I've never really experienced this before because obviously it's my first stint managing in Scotland.
"The pre-contract, signing for another club in your own league and still playing for the other club, is quite an unusual and unique set of circumstances, so I'm still getting my head around that scenario.
"He will leave but the actual timeline for when he leaves hasn't been decided because we haven't heard from Dundee United in terms of a bid or anything.
"If he's here until the end of the season, we will enjoy having him with us from now until then.”
