Is this former Socceroo set for the Hyundai A-League?

Not according to Motherwell boss Mark McGhee who’s issued a hands off to Western Sydney Wanderers suitors who made an inquiry about their gun striker, one-time Caltex Socceroo Scott McDonald.

Wanderers don’t comment on transfer speculation but McGhee was adamant his 32-year-old forward wasn’t about to be prised away from Fir Park by Tony Popovic for a summer of A-League football, as reported in Australia over the last day. 

“Alan Burrows [Motherwell CEO] and I chatted with the player for some time on Wednesday and there was a lot of common ground,” McGhee said on the club’s official site. 

Click here for Motherwell’s official site

“The actual interest came fairly out the blue and the prospect of a return home is obviously intriguing for anyone in that scenario, however, it was also clear he still feels there is unfinished business in the SPFL, which was great for us.”

McDonald is said to have signed a new deal three weeks ago in what is his second stint at Fir Park. 

And with a mounting injury toll for the Steelmen, it added weight to the need to keep their star man at the ‘Well. 

“Scott was a huge part of our performances last year and I’ve put a lot at stake in terms with how the team’s going to shape up around him this year – to lose him now would be catastrophic to the start of the season.

“But, then we gave him our arguments and told him why we hoped he wouldn’t go and out of all of that, Scott and ourselves decided that he was staying.

“That meant, when an official [inquiry] did eventually come in during the night, it was a fairly simple one for us to politely reject,” added McGhee. 

The one-time Socceroo has been a regular goalscorer in Scotland for virtually his entire career. 

In short, the former Casey Comets junior is a goal machine with 14 goals last season for Motherwell as well as winning titles with Celtic. He’s also had stints across the border with Middlesbrough and Millwall. 

And a proven goalscorer is exactly what the red and black need after the disastrous marquee striker signing Federico Piovocarri last season. 

You sense though that “Macca” has an itch to prove how good he is to fans back home – after all, Socceroo fans never got a chance to celebrate a McDonald goal in the green and gold. 

The pint-sized striker was unable to replicate his goal-scoring feats at international level in over 25 national team appearances up to 2012 – though some say the Socceroo’ system didn’t suit him. He last played for Australia away to Scotland in 2012 in a 3-1 win for the hosts at Easter Road.  

So, for the moment, McDonald looks like staying put. 

That said, he’d be a great signing for an Australian club. Maybe one day.