Mark McGhee tells Csaba Laszlo to put up or shut up over Chris Porter

By Ewing Graham

Porter, 25, is out of contract at Fir Park at the end of this season and is therefore free to speak to any interested parties.

However, while Laszlo has repeatedly stated that he is a player he would like to sign before the transfer window closes on Feb 2, Hearts have not contacted Motherwell or Porter to conduct negotiations.

"I asked the manager, when he came into my office after our game here last week, whether he had an interest in signing Chris Porter. It was the first thing I asked him.

"He smiled and shrugged and coughed and spluttered but never gave me a direct answer so I assumed from that that he had no interest.

"I know that good players are going to be mentioned in dispatches during a transfer window but I still think that this isn't right. I told him to put his money where his mouth is."

McGhee refused to rule out a switch to Tynecastle for the player but believes that the Lancastrian would prefer a return to England, with Sheffield United having had him watched on several occasions recently.

"Now, I can't say that Chris doesn't want to go to Hearts: we haven't had that conversation with him because Hearts haven't been in touch so that would be premature," said McGhee.

"However, I suspect that Chris will see his future south of the border. I can understand the attraction of bigger clubs for players and Hearts are a bigger club than us: the crowds they get at every home game alone justifies me saying that.

"So I wouldn't be critical of Chris if he went there but I don't think he will. If someone comes in with a decent offer for Chris then we will discuss it with him.

"That is the agreement we have had with him since the day he came here and Chris will have a say in anything that might happen.

"At this point, though, no one has made any approach for him but, until the window closes, this sort of thing will go on. I'm just counting down the days.

"If this [speculation] is having an effect on Chris, though, it's a positive one. I'd like to think that his recent form is a result of the likes of Paul Quinn, Stephen Craigan, Stephen Hughes and David Clarkson returning to fitness but it's also coincided with the window opening."

Porter will have another chance to impress watching scouts on Sunday, when Motherwell travel to Tannadice to take on third-placed Dundee United. There are currently 14 points between the clubs but McGhee hasn't yet abandoned hope of overhauling Craig Levein's team.

"I said at the start of the season that they'd strengthened their squad but that I didn't think they'd strengthened their team and I've regretted saying that ever since," he said.

"When they drew 3-3 with Rangers at Ibrox a few months ago it was the best performance I've seen from any side outwith the Old Firm. Then again, when we drew 2-2 with United we gave them a doing so I've yet to be convinced that they're better than us.

"We believe that if we beat them this weekend then maybe we can still catch them. However, if they beat us then I'll wave them into the distance and happily shake the big man's hand afterwards."

Taken from telegraph.co.uk