Motherwell manager Terry Butcher today told Celtic and the clutch of clubs chasing Stephen Pearson that they need to up their offers if they want to land the Scotland international midfielder this month.
Everton, Blackburn and Leicester, as well as the Parkhead outfit, are all believed to have had bids turned down. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill claimed on Friday that a deal hinged on whether he would be willing to loan out some of his own players to Motherwell.
But Butcher insisted today that money was the only stumbling block and that Celtic's valuation was well short of their own.
"I'm not resigned to anything because it's not gone through," said the Fir Park chief. "Stephen Pearson is still at the club so he is still a Motherwell player.
"I just don't know what's going to happen at the moment. It's up to other clubs to decide if they want to make an offer that we accept. So far we haven't accepted any of the offers. At the moment taking players on loan is not the condition or an issue in a deal.
"At the moment it all comes down to money and in the meantime Stephen is going nowhere."
While the uncertainty surrounding the future of Pearson continues, the former England international is refusing to be drew on speculation linking him with a move for Dundee United veteran defender Gary Bollan.
"I have no news on that at all," added Butcher. "We have been linked with one or two players and we are trying to keep our plans under wraps "