Motherwell close to signing Newcastle Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, says boss Stuart Kettlewell

Stuart Kettlewell confirmed that Motherwell are close to signing recently-capped Australia forward Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.

The Newcastle Jets striker, who scored 17 times in the A-League last season and earned his first Socceroos cap against Palestine last month, has been lined up to fill the void left by Theo Bair, who joined French Ligue 1 side Auxerre for a seven-figure fee last week.

However, Kettlewell played down suggestions that the Fir Park club are paying a transfer fee of £260,000 for the 25-year-old.

"Apostolos is traveling over to Scotland just now and I can confirm there is an agreement in place subject to medical," he said at a press conference on Friday ahead of Sunday's Premier Sports Cup match against Partick Thistle.

"His partner was due to give birth on Monday so that has delayed proceedings by a couple of days. He's someone we have been tracking and following for a while. We would hope if we can get him past that medical in the next day or so, I would love to think he starts to come into the mix and our group right away.

"I don't want to say too much more than that, but I think it is important that I do confirm the rumours that are out there because I am always dispelling them when I think they are absolute nonsense but this one is accurate, although some of the details in terms of numbers and finances are very inaccurate, I have to say.

"However, he is travelling and is someone we believe is coming with real good pedigree. He has 17 goals in 24 games last season in the A League and has been part of the all-star team, so he is someone, that at 25, we believe can develop at this football club and hopefully pitch in with what is a real good history of number nines."

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