Sunday 4 January 2015 19:01, UK
Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara is hopeful in-form winger Gary Mackay-Steven will be at the club when the January transfer window closes.
The 24-year-old - who scored one and set up another in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Partick Thistle - is out of contract at the end of the season and appears certain to leave for free if he is not sold this month.
The Scotland international is on record stating he has ambitions to play in the Barclays Premier League and has already drawn the attention of Swansea and West Brom.
McNamara refused to confirm reports that United chairman Steven Thompson had already received offers for the player and stressed the importance of keeping Mackay-Steven.
"I'd like to keep him here,” McNamara admitted. “You could see how important he was to us here with the two goals today.
I'd like to keep him (Mackay-Steven) here. You could see how important he was to us here with the two goals today.
"I want to keep what we've got and make them better. I'd like to add one or two - not lose anybody. We knew last summer that he'd be walking away for nothing.
"Everyone talks about the younger ones we've sold because we've had to – GMS we've prepared ourselves for losing for nothing in the summer. I want to keep them all until the end of the season.
“For me we have to weigh up what is best in terms of the financial side of a bid or what he could bring by helping us get to a cup final or up the league. It has to be right for the club first and foremost."
McNamara did confirm United have made a £50,000 offer for Arbroath's 17-goal striker Simon Murray but revealed they plan to loan him back to the Lichties for the rest of the season.
The Tangerines took the lead at Firhill after just 10 minutes as Jags youngster Dale Keenan was caught ball watching while Nadir Ciftci played in Mackay-Steven to score.
But they were pegged back when Ryan Stevenson headed home from a corner and then found themselves behind as Kris Doolan capped off a fantastic display by the injury-hit hosts by finishing from close range.
Thistle missed a couple of chances to extend their lead but United were much better after the break and got the equaliser 17 minutes from time when Ciftci slammed home after Mackay-Steven drove into the box.
The Arabs could have leapfrogged Celtic into second had they won but now drop five points behind Premiership leaders Aberdeen and McNamara admitted they must get stronger mentally.
"It's a mentality thing," the boss admitted. "If you want to be successful, if you want to win things, you will be under pressure at certain points in the game, then that is when you have to be resolute and give nothing away.
"Of late we have not been able to do that. We have made little mistakes in concentration. At the start of the season we were not doing that. We just need to get the mentality right."
Jags boss Alan Archibald was missing eight first-team regulars and had to bring in youngsters Keenan, Liam Lindsay and Declan McDaid.
"I am happy with a point but we had a spell in the first half and if we could have got to 3-1 at half-time it would have been a different game," said Archibald.
"The young boys came in and done well and I thought the experienced ones helped them as well."
