Jim O'Brien has been linked with moves to Aberdeen and Hearts

By John Barnes

Motherwell manager Craig Brown has opened talks with three players he is keen to keep at the club long term.

Representatives of Jim O'Brien and two other first-team players held contract discussions with club management on Thursday, BBC Scotland has learned.

All three are out of contract in the summer, as are several other regular first-team players at Fir Park.

"We're talking to three players, so hopefully we can get some finalisation on their agreements," said Brown.

Of the majority of the players who started the Fir Park club's last match against Hamilton last weekend, only defender Mark Reynolds and strikers John Sutton have contracts at the Lanarkshire club beyond the end of this season.

We would like to know quite soon how many players we've got at the start of next season and what we've got to do to supplement that Craig Brown

Tom Hateley has been influential both in midfield and at full-back. And the son of Rangers legend Mark is seen as an important part of Brown's long-term aspirations for the club.

Club captain Craigan and midfielder Keith Lasley were out of favour under previous manager Jim Gannon. But, since the arrival of Brown and assistant Archie Knox, they have secured regular starting berths in the Motherwell line-up.

O'Brien has been linked with Aberdeen and Hearts, but Brown would be delighted if the winger pledged his future to Motherwell.

"We would like to know quite soon how many players we've got at the start of next season and what we've got to do to supplement that," said Brown.

"The process has started."

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