Blair Spittal announced that he is leaving Motherwell now present another significant issue for….

The playmaker is a doubt for Sunday’s clash with Celtic after missing last weekend’s defeat to Hearts with a knee knock picked up against Aberdeen.

But the 28-year-old has been a standout performer for the Steelmen, chipping in with nine goals this season, and up until the weekend had played all but 10 minutes of the entire campaign. Spittal is out of contract in the summer and was heavily linked with St Mirren in the January window.

Talks are ongoing over a new deal and Kettlewell said: “Everyone will know we want Blair to be a Motherwell player for as long as possible.

“I would move heaven and earth to have him here for as long as we possibly could. Since I walked in the door in February last year he has played almost every minute.

I generally don’t take him off the pitch because I can trust him with my life with how he goes about his business.