Spittal committed to Motherwell despite Hearts reports: Kettlewell

GLASGOW: Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell is convinced Blair Spittal will remain fully committed to the end of the season despite appearing Tynecastle-bound.Reports claim Hearts have secured a pre-contract deal with the 28-year-old midfielder, who has delivered 11 goals and nine assists this season.

Kettlewell said: “All I can tell you is we know there has been contact but the level of that contact and where that sits, I can’t confirm that. That’s quite clearly Hearts’ business. They are not doing anything out of turn if they are speaking to our out-of-contract players.

“But the thing I need to reassure people on is we have offered Blair the absolute best contract we possibly could.“He has been terrific for us but the fight we have always got, is if a club like Hearts wants to speak to one of our out-of-contract players, they can double, treble what we can offer them. That’s not me pleading poverty, that’s just the honest state of affairs.

“I would love to keep Blair Spittal at the club and the level of contract was indicative of my thoughts, but whatever happens between Blair and, for talking’s sake, Hearts, that’s their business and it’s their place to confirm or deny where that sits.

“But I can 99.9 per cent convince everybody that we have a player who is fully committed to this club and there will be absolutely no change in what everyone has seen over the course of this season.“I am certain of that because I know the lad so well, because how I watch him train and play. He is fully committed to the cause.”