STUART McCALL has admitted he was left looking on in envy as the rest of the SPFL Premiership went into overdrive ahead of the transfer window's closure on January 31.

Motherwell's main challengers for second place, Aberdeen, punted Josh Magennis to St Mirren on loan until the end of the season and signed Brentford right-back Shaleum Logan in a similar deal.

Another of Well's Euro rivals, Dundee United, snapped up highly-rated Australian defender Curtis Good on loan from Newcastle for the rest of the campaign while Partick Thistle swooped for ex-Dundee United midfielder Prince Buaben and West Ham starlet George Moncur.

Even doomed Hearts signed West Ham striker Paul McCallum on loan until the end of the term.

But McCall, who did his business early by extending Lionel Ainsworth's loan spell from Rotherham until the end of the season and nailing down Estonian striker Henri Anier on a two-and-a-half year deal, admitted to coming over all green.

The Fir Park gaffer said: "I guess there was a bit of envy there when you are watching other clubs like Aberdeen wheeling and dealing.

"Clearly they signed the lad Adam Rooney before they played us last weekend and now they have added the boy Logan from Brentford. So they certainly have real depth to their squad and to a far greater extent than us.

"Although we signed Henri Anier and Lionel Ainsworth they were already in our team and playing week in, week out. So in real terms we haven't made any new additions and will have to go with what we have."

McCall admitted that concerns over the lack of the depth in his squad were brought home during the recent 2-2 draw with the Dons.

The Well boss said; "When we suffered an injury to Fraser Kerr, I looked at the bench and, apart from Anier and Paul Lawson, we had five kids on it, four of whom had never played first-team football for the club.

"So that really brought home how thin on the ground we are right now and in that respect, although we would love still to be in both cups, the three-week break is a bonus for us."

Although Motherwell are sitting pretty in third place, some 12 points ahead of sixth-placed St Johnstone, McCall is refusing to take his side's top-six status for granted.

The Motherwell manager said: "There is a lot of football still to come and 12 points is nothing really.

"The target has always been to consolidate that top six spot and then look hopefully at a European place via a top three finish.

"But when you look at other sides strengthening as they have, that underlines how tough that is going to be."