Motherwell in ‘advanced’ talks over sale of striker Theo Bair amid Auxerre links

Motherwell are at an “advanced stage” of negotiations over the sale of Theo Bair and managed Stuart Kettlewell has suggested the fee will be even higher than the numbers reported.

The Canada international has been linked with a move to Ligue 1 side Auxerre with reports claiming a £1.25m deal had been agreed.

Kettlewell said: “We’re probably moving to a more advanced stage.

“I’ve seen so many different reports, the guys here at the football club share a lot of information with me to make sure I’m up to speed with the stuff I don’t see on social media and all the different types of things. And the one thing I can absolutely guarantee is that I’ve not seen one accurate report in terms of the numbers or anything like that.

“We are at advanced stage in terms of Theo moving on, I can absolutely confirm that.

“I can’t give you too much more information, but nobody has reached the numbers that we’re actually speaking about as a football club. Everything has been undershot in any report that I’ve seen, but we just need to monitor that really over the next 24 hours.”

The former St Johnstone forward hit 13 goals in the final 18 games of last season for Motherwell, form which earned him a place in the Canada squad for the Copa America.

The 24-year-old came off the bench as his side lost to Uruguay in the third-place play-off on Saturday and now looks set for some more international travel in the coming days.

Kettlewell said: “There have been a lot of conversations and I’ve been really transparent with some of those conversations, some of the bids that have come in that have been turned down by the football club.

“But I’m now thinking he is back from international duty and that will start to move over the next 24-48 hours.”

Meanwhile, Paul McGinn has been confirmed as Liam Kelly’s replacement as captain. Stephen O’Donnell wore the armband in Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup win over Edinburgh City in McGinn’s absence and will be vice-captain for the season ahead.

“Between the two players, they have played over 1,000 games of football,” Kettlewell said.

“Paul is a voice and a big influence in the dressing room. The consistency and standards he drives every day is impressive.

“I always think a captain needs to have an affinity with the group, he has that. A captain can’t just be in name, you need to have serious influence.

“In the end, this was an easy decision to make given the experience and voice both players have in the team.”

McGinn will again miss out at Montrose on Tuesday along with Sam Nicholson, Ross Callachan, Johnny Koutroumbis, Tom Sparrow, Steve Seddon and long-term absentee Callum Slattery.