Gannon hoping to keep loan stars

Motherwell manager Jim Gannon remains hopeful of retaining loan trio John Ruddy, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Yassin Moutaouakil beyond January.

Ruddy has been instrumental in Motherwell's promising campaign, while Jutkiewicz, Ruddy's Everton team-mate, has netted seven goals in his last nine Clydesdale Bank Premier League games and Charlton right-back Moutaouakil has a key role in Gannon's policy of playing from the back.

Gannon said: "They have all really enjoyed their time and that is a positive sign. If they have enjoyed themselves, they will be reluctant - unless they get a fantastic opportunity - to leave this environment."

He added: "They are all in the situation where I think they are unlikely to play for their parent club. There may well be interest in all three from other clubs.

"Then the player has to decide whether to go back to his club, stay here or go to the third party.

"All of them are relatively young players. In the past they have had some highs where they have gone to top clubs and then felt like they have fallen away in terms of their progress and self-belief.

"Perhaps they are recovering that now and they have every right to be confident because all three have shown what they are capable of. The SPL is a great level to showcase it."