MOTHERWELL are ready to make a move for former Hamilton midfielder Ali Crawford should a proposed move to England not materialise this summer.

The Steelmen made an approach to Crawford’s agent to gauge his availability last season but were told that he would prefer to move south of the border. That remains the case, with the 26-year-old playmaker currently weighing up his options.

But with nothing concrete yet in place for next season, Motherwell have made it clear that they would be interested in talking to the midfielder, and he is open to hearing what his former club’s rivals may have to offer.

“I’m not any further forward with what is happening next season, I’m just weighing up my options just now,” Crawford said.

“It’s been quite slow at the start of this transfer window, so I just need to sit tight and be brave and wait for the right opportunity.

“I’d really like to go down south and that would be my first choice, but I need to keep my options open.

“Motherwell have spoken to my agent I believe, but I don’t think anything further has come from it, but I would consider what they had to say. I’ve got to keep my options open at this point, so I’ll wait and see what happens over the next couple of weeks and take it from there.”

Crawford admits that going into the summer without having a contract in place for next season has been a novel experience for him, and not an entirely comfortable one.

But he is hoping that fortune will favour the bravery he has shown to step out of his comfort zone at Hamilton.

“It’s been pretty strange,” he said. “It’s weird not knowing what I’m doing for pre-season, and just waiting to see what happens. It’s pretty stressful, and it’s new to me, so hopefully something comes sooner or later.

“I paid my dues at Hamilton, playing over 250 games, so I’m more experienced probably than most people my age, and I thought it was time to try something new and see if I could play at a higher level.

“I’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds.”

Crawford caught up with his old Hamilton pals on Thursday as former teammate Darian MacKinnon tied the knot, and he was delighted to be able to get in amongst the boys he shared a dressing room with for so long.

“It was good to catch up with them,” he said. “I hadn’t seen the boys since the end of last season, so it was good to see them all and see what had been happening. I wish them all the best.”