Hamilton Accies have joined the race to take St Johnstone striker Stevie May on loan this season.
The 19-year-old goalscorer, who had a successful loan spell with Third Division champions Alloa last term, has also attracted interest from Accies’ First Division rivals Dunfermline Athletic with both teams now set to fight for the player’s services over the coming days.
May joined the Wasps last December and ended the season with 19 goals, while he also won the Third Division Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year awards for the entire SFL.
The teenager signed a new contract with Saints in the summer and he has featured three times as a substitute for the Perth club.
However, the arrival of strikers Craig Beattie, Rowan Vine and Gregory Tade looks to have made May available for temporary duty again.
A spokesman at New Douglas Park confirmed: ”Discussions have taken place for a couple of weeks now and we are hopeful of having Steve with us before the end of the week.”
Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies confirmed last week that he had approached Saints about the possibility of a loan deal in the summer but, at that time, Perth boss Steve Lomas was unwilling to let him go.
Meanwhile, Saints’ selection woes have moved Lomas to warn his players to stay on the park.
Saints have already lost strike pair Tade and Vine to red cards, with both men missing last Saturday’s defeat to Aberdeen through suspension.
The duo are available for this weekend’s away match against Hibs but Lomas warned that they can’t afford any more orderings-off.
Injuries have also hit Saints hard, with Murray Davidson (knee) and Chris Millar (hamstring) facing long spells on the sidelines.
Lomas is working with a really tight squad and the Northern Irishman said: ”It is great to have those two back. Their absence was self-inflicted and the players know that.
”We can’t afford to have people out suspended and I have stressed that to all the lads very clearly.”