St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright is ready to seal a new three-year deal to keep him at McDiarmid Park to 2017.
The Perth’s club’s first ever manager to lift the Scottish Cup is being rewarded with an extended contract and it should be wrapped up this week.
The news will delight Saints fans disappointed by the weekend exit of 27-goal home grown hero Stevie May to Sheffield Wednesday in an £800,000 deal.
The Scotland U21 striker opted for a four-year commitment to the Owls ahead of rivals and long-term suitors Rotherham United, saying: “Leaving Saints is a wrench but last season was a great one for everyone at the club and I think we did ourselves proud in this season’s Europa League, so it’s a good way to bow out.”
Perth chairman Steve Brown hailed Wright as the most successful manager in the club’s history after defeating Dundee United 2-0 in May to lift the silverware.
In the immediate aftermath of the final celebrations, Brown labelled his boss “a miracle worker” and joked: “He has signed a new contract but doesn’t realise it.”
Fans’ favourite Wright’s current deal runs through to next year but negotiations have continued over the summer to tie him up long-term.
Perth fans feared that with his stock rising, Wright could be tempted away from Perth after steering Saints to the top six, winning the cup and taking the Euro scalps of Rosenborg and Luzern.
They have already seen Owen Coyle, Derek McInnes and Steve Lomas lured to the Championship when Burnley, Bristol City and Millwall targeted their bosses.
But Wright, 50, made it clear after the cup win that he saw his future at McDiarmid Park.
The former Northern Ireland international goalkeeper had previous managerial experience with Limavady, Ballymena and Lisburn Distillery before joining Lomas as assistant manager three years ago.
With the departure of talisman May, Wright will be given resources to strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes.