MOTHERWELL have offered Craig Tanner a contract extension until Christmas.

Tanner penned a short-term deal until the end of August in the summer as Motherwell supported him in his recovery from a ruptured patella tendon and dislocated kneecap.

The 24-year-old has been sidelined since March 2018 after suffering a freak injury in training but stepped up his recovery by playing 90 minutes and scoring for Well’s reserves at Ross County on Monday.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson is keen to keep Tanner at Fir Park and revealed they are in talks over a contract extension.

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Robinson said: “Craig is still a long, long way away as he’s been out for a heck of a long time but he’s getting there slowly. It’s going to take game time for him to do that.

“So, we’re speaking to Craig just now as his contract runs out at the end of August and we’ve offered him an extended short-term contract until Christmas.

“The club have gone above and beyond for Craig in terms of his treatment and how we have handled him, a lot of clubs might not have done the same. Craig has been very appreciative of that.

“We’ve given him extra treatment and gave him a contract when we didn’t feel he was quite ready and we’ve offered him another extension.

“First and foremost, Craig needs to play football matches to try and get back to the Craig Tanner he was two years ago.

“He’s got a decision to make, whether he wants to go and play games somewhere else to try to get back that way or he stays here.

“Ultimately it’s about what’s best for Craig and if we can keep him here and get him back to that level then it will benefit us as well.

“There is no denying a fully fit Craig Tanner, with games under his belt, is a very good footballer.”

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Robinson revealed if Tanner does pen a new deal then Motherwell could send him out on loan to get the playing time he requires to get him up to speed for a first team return.

He said: “We’re still speaking with him and if he signs until Christmas then we’ll look to see what kind of game time we can give him, whether that be a loan move or whether that’s through the reserves but we have to try to get Craig back.

“It’s been a long road for the boy, it was a freak injury and he’s had set backs along the way in his rehabilitation and needed a second operation. That takes a lot out of you.

“Craig needs to play football matches, for me he’s not ready to play in the Premiership yet. He needs ten to 12 games under his belt and whether that’s reserve football or going on loan.

“It’s something we’re speaking about to try to get him back to the level where he was two years ago and be in position to be selected for the first team.”