Motherwell address Blair Spittal to Hearts transfer as Stuart Kettlewell confirms one financial factor

Stuart Kettlewell has confirmed contact over Blair Spittal, as he refuses to question the Motherwell playmaker's commitment after a Hearts pre-contract signing.

Alongside Ross County's attacking midfielder Yan Dhanda and Livingston left-back James Penrice, the 28-year-old has signed a pre-contract to join Steven Naismith's side this summer. He joined Motherwell in 2022 and has been an impressive performer this term with 11 goals and nine assists from 36 games.

He will aim to help keep the Steelmen away from the bottom of the table between now and May, with an eye on whether a late surge for the top six can be had. Addressing the situation, Kettlewell says he can't confirm a specific club but Spittal's commitment to the cause won't be in doubt, amid a financial reality.

The Fir Park boss stated: "From my side of it all I can tell you is that we know there’s been contact. The level of that contact and where that sits, Hearts have obviously been the team that has been documented there, I can’t confirm to you.

“That’s quite clearly Hearts’ business and where they’re at, and they’re not doing anything out of turn if they’re speaking to any of our out-of-contract players.

“But the fight that we’ve always got – and it always sounds as if you’re going down the money route, which ultimately is a thing – is that if a club like Hearts wants to come in and speak to one of our out-of-contract players they can double, treble, what we can offer them.

“That’s not me pleading poverty, it’s literally the honest state of affairs. But the one thing I can stress to our supporters and to everybody else round about it, is that I would love to keep Blair Spittal at this club.

"The one thing I can say is that I am 99.9 per cent convinced that we have a player that is absolutely committed to this club and will give everything. There will be absolutely no change in what everyone has seen over the course of this season.

“I’m certain of that, because I know the lad so well. I’m certain of that because of how I watch him train and play every week. here will be absolutely no change in what everyone has seen over the course of this season. I’m certain of that, because I know the lad so well. I’m certain of that because of how I watch him train and play every week."