Steven Hammell still scouring the market as Motherwell look for options

Motherwell manager Steven Hammell is looking for more signings ahead of the transfer deadline but still does not know if Robert Snodgrass will be one of them.

Snodgrass is considering his options, including an offer from Motherwell, after leaving Luton but Hammell is keen to supplement his squad before the transfer window closes on midnight next Thursday.

Motherwell this week signed 24-year-old Ipswich left-back Matt Penney and the loan player could make his debut at Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Hammell said: “He’s a great addition for us. He will fit into the group and the environment that we are trying to create here. He is keen to be here, which is massive for me.

“He has been training, he’s a fit boy and he’s in good condition, so he will come right into the plans straight away.

“We will try and recruit a couple of players for sure. We will be looking to do a bit more business before the window closes, and hopefully sooner rather than later.

“A lot of the younger players in the group will be going out on loan to experience first-team football, which is so important.”

When asked about Snodgrass, he said: “There’s no update, I don’t think, positive or otherwise. It’s pretty much where it was last week so there is nothing really to add to that from where we were last week, unfortunately.

“We’ve not put a deadline on it as such but we will be looking to bring players in and we’ve not got an endless budget here. We will be looking to bring in a couple of players before Thursday.”

Hammell is looking to continue his bright start to life in management at Rugby Park.

The 40-year-old has taken three wins from four cinch Premiership matches – the same amount Motherwell achieved in the last 17 league games of the previous season under Graham Alexander.

Midfielder Callum Slattery feels Hammell has restored confidence after the European exit at the hands of Sligo Rovers.

“I’d say it’s just adding that little bit of belief,” Slattery said of the difference the manager has made. “We are going into games now to win and putting on a good performance, as well as getting the three points.

“Obviously taking a knock early on, it could take a team quite long to get round but I think with the change that happened, it’s a fresh start and it added that bit of belief in the team. Now we have kind of forgotten about that.”

Slattery is benefiting from the freedom to get into more attacking positions.

“A lot of players are, I think that’s just the way we want to play, be attacking and get up the pitch,” he said. “I’m one of those players that is doing that. He has given that kind of freedom to a lot of players to go and express themselves and get up the pitch.”

Hammell believes in giving his players responsibility to put their own stamp on the game.

“We are giving the players the ability to analyse the games themselves as well,” the manager said.

“We give them a platform and a structure to play in but also remembering they are good players and they are here for a reason and if they see things out there that they like and they think they are getting success with, then explore that. That’s always encouraged here.”