Dunfermline Athletic boss Jimmy Calderwood is ready to look elsewhere for a central defender after St Mirren insisted they wanted a transfer fee for Scott Walker.

Walker had pleaded with Saints to allow him to buy out the remainder of his contract, which has a year left to run.

But, following a meeting on Wednesday, St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour told BBC Sport Online that his club would still expect a transfer fee should the 27-year-old leave the First Division club.

His move to Dunfermline now appears to have arrived at a stalemate, with St Mirren reportedly wanting �35,000 for Walker.

Calderwood said: "We are definitely not going to pay St Mirren a fee."

Out of contract

The debt-stricken Paisley club at one stage seemed desperate to offload their players by any means in an attempt to cut their costs.

"St Mirren said he was being given a free, but things seem to have changed and it is up to Scott and his agent to sort it out," said Calderwood.

"If it stays that way, we have other options."

One of those is Manchester United 20-year-old Alan McDermott, who has been recommended to Calderwood after failing to break into Sir Alex Ferguson's big-money side.

Calderwood has yet to see the player in action and is sounding out more contacts about the Republic of Ireland under-21 international's abilities before deciding whether to make a move.

Dutch friendlies

"He is out of contract and I know that Shrewsbury have made an offer for him," he said.

"I won't do anything until I know more about him, even though that could mean that we're too late."

A tall central defender is the last piece of Calderwood's team-building jigsaw for the coming season.

Although he rates Andrius Skerla, Scott Thomson and recent signing Andre Karnebeek as good defenders, he believes that he will need someone with a bit more height or ability in the air against certain opponents.

The Pars start pre-season training next week and quickly fly out to New Zealand, where they will play against a league select and two matches against the national team.

They will then head for Holland, where they will play four matches, including one against Calderwood's former club, NEC Nijmegen.