‘WE TRIED TO BREAK THE BANK TO KEEP MOULT’

MOTHERWELL boss Stephen Robinson has refused to be drawn on speculation around a January move for star striker Louis Moult — but insisted the club had offered him the chance to become their highest-paid player in the last 20 years. The 25-year-old is believed to be close to linking up with former Hamilton manager Alex Neil at English Championship side Preston North End. The Premiership’s top scorer this term, Moult has 14 goals in all competitions, after firing 18 in each of the previous two campaigns, and has also been linked with moves to Rangers and Aberdeen. The former Wrexham frontman is in his third and final season at Fir Park, with boss Robinson stating yesterday that he could be sold next month for the right price. ‘We have made Louis numerous contract offers now and he has told me he won’t be at the club after the end of the season,’ said Robinson. ‘We made an incredible offer for this football club, but he has earned the right to choose whether to do that or not. Louis has been great for the club, we have to acknowledge that, but whatever decision we make in January will be for the benefit of the club. ‘We made offers probably above and beyond ourselves to probably make Louis the best paid player at the football club for the last 15-20 years. ‘Obviously, there is a lot of interest in him and we have spoken to clubs about Louis. They have contacted us and had the respect to contact us. So that’s currently ongoing. ‘I don’t know anything about pre-contracts, I’m not sure they are worth the paper they are written on anyway. ‘We have to weigh up in January if someone comes in with the money that benefits the club, we may look to take that. If not, we will look to keep him.’ Moult (left) will miss Motherwell’s trip to Firhill this evening against a Partick Thistle side still coming to terms with a 5-1 hammering at Kilmarnock. Both sides are low on confidence with just one win apiece from their last five games but, for Robinson, Thistle have been mightily unlucky in a number of games and will be targeting a response at home to the Steelmen. ‘I’ve watched Partick a lot,’ he said. ‘They are a good side and it surprises me where they are. ‘I watched the game back on Saturday and there actually wasn’t a lot between the teams. We have to be on our guard that there’s a backlash from that result.’