St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright insists striker Stevie May won’t be moving to Peterborough United and could instead soon be signing a contract extension at McDiarmid Park.
Following Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony’s bizarre Twitter rant at Saints’ handling of the transfer saga, the Perth boss was more than willing to return fire.
MacAnthony claims his club agreed to meet Saints’ valuation for the 20-year-old but the deal then hit a snag because McDiarmid Park chiefs refused to accept the cash in instalments with comments attributed to Wright about the issue seeming to anger the Posh chief.
However, the Saints boss hit back in the row before confirming that May will be offered a new deal.
“I’ve got a football club to run it seems he’s got a Twitter account to run,” he said. “So I’m getting on with running my football club.
“I had a meeting with Stevie May yesterday and it is strange that a rant comes out from Peterborough, because Stevie May is not going to Peterborough.
“I had a good chat with him and he wants to stay at St Johnstone. There’s been a lot said about how I’ve conducted myself but I’m only answering questions that I’ve been asked about Stevie May.
“I never once went to the press. I don’t have a Twitter account and anybody who has a Twitter account controls what they say and when they say it.”
Wright added: “I’m only answering questions to the press, so there are some things that have been said that a chairman of a club I believe shouldn’t be saying.
“He even emailed me on the Sunday night after the Kilmarnock game to try and put me right on a few things, and I’ve kept quiet about that.
“If that’s the way he wants to behave that’s fair enough. But his latest rant could be on the back of Stevie May telling him he didn’t want to go.
“Now he didn’t put on his Twitter that he had spoken to Stevie’s advisers and offered him a deal when he had no permission to speak to him.
“So who’s right and who’s wrong? I know we have conducted our business in the right way and he is right that a fee was agreed in principle, but we don’t give interest-free loans.
“The club have acted in the right manner, the correct manner, and looked after St Johnstone Football Club and Stevie May’s interests.
“Stevie doesn’t want to go to Peterborough it’s not the right club for him he says and he wasn’t happy with the deal that they offered.”
Reports surfacing on Thursday suggested English Championship side Blackpool might be the latest club to bid for the striker, but Wright is hopeful May will commit himself to an extended stay in Perth.
“I’ve spoken to the chairman, Stevie wants to stay, and over the next days and weeks we’ll be trying to get Stevie a new contract,” he said.
“Stevie’s told me he wants to stay so anybody that comes in, I think they are wasting their time because Stevie wants to stay.
“He understands why I want him to stay as well. He thinks it will be better for his career to stay and develop, and again, if he scores 15-20 goals this year I believe he’ll get a bigger and better club.
“We don’t know until we sit down if he’ll sign the new contract. He might choose not to sign it, but I think that shows how much we want him to stay.
“The club wanted him to sign a two-year deal but he didn’t want to sign it because he felt he wouldn’t get an opportunity and I can understand that. But since I’ve come in I’ve told him that he will get an opportunity.
“I’ve kept to my side of the bargain and he’s kept to his side with how he’s performed.
“The good thing is that I speak to the more senior players around him, and I believe his parents and his friends are all encouraging him and think the best thing for him is to stay, at least for another season. It might only be until Christmas, but certainly it’s not the best time for him to move.”
Wright will challenge his players to keep up their high standards against Dundee United on Saturday after setting a benchmark last weekend.
Saints head to Tannadice on the back of a convincing 4-0 victory over Ross County and, from Wright’s point of view, it is likely to be a case of more of the same in what will be his first Tayside derby as Saints manager.
“Some of the football we played against Ross County was excellent and it was a game where we totally dominated,” he said.
“Saturday is a different game, different opposition, and Dundee United are a difficult side to play against. I think there will be a good atmosphere and we’ll probably take up a right few supporters.”
Only keeper Alan Mannus and David Robertson are unavailable, with Gary McDonald, Murray Davidson and Frazer Wright all back following knocks.
The Saints boss added they will not pursue moves for Manchester City winger Alex Henshall or former Manchester United youth Nicky Ajose, although he hinted his summer spending might not be over just yet.