Motherwell boss Mark McGhee keen to extend James McFadden stay

Motherwell boss Mark McGhee hopes the Steelmen are nearing a deal that will persuade James McFadden to remain at the club until the end of the season.

The 32-year-old Scotland international made a surprise return to Fir Park, where he started his career, in December when he signed a one-month contract.

But it was expected his third stint with Motherwell would be brief as he was targeting a move to the United States.

However, McFadden's MLS plans have now fallen through and McGhee hopes to capitalise by extending his stay until May.

The Well manager said: "Faddy is not going abroad, we know that now. So we're hoping we can come to some arrangement that allows Faddy to stay to the end of the season."

Motherwell face two crucial Premiership fixtures over the next five days as they host bottom-six rivals Kilmarnock on Saturday before Tuesday's trip to basement side Dundee United.

The Lanarkshire outfit have yet to win in 2016 and their hopes have been hit by five last-minute goals, including three in their last three matches.

"There has been different reasons," McGhee said. "In the Partick Thistle game it was a lapse of concentration by one of the players.

"Against Dundee it was a farcical penalty decision while on Saturday against Inverness I felt it was another poor refereeing call that resulted in us having a man out of position when he would have been there to stop it.

"But what can you do? You just keep going and hope that it stops.

"I really don't think our form has changed. That is the frustrating thing. We're not playing any differently from when we were winning games."