Mark McGhee says the five senior Motherwell players who have been offered new contracts on reduced terms could receive increased offers depending on the club's final league position.

The Fir Park outfit, who sit fifth in the Scottish Premiership, have opened talks with captain Keith Lasley, goalkeeper Craig Samson, defenders Stephen McManus and Steven Hammell and striker Scott McDonald whose deals expire in the summer.

McGhee's budget has been slashed and his out-of-contract veterans have been warned they will have to accept reduced offers if they are to stay with the Steelmen next season.

With just over £105,000 difference in prize money between finishing fourth and fifth in the table, however, the manager hopes his players use it as an incentive to win their final two matches.

They face Ross County in Dingwall on Wednesday before taking on Celtic on the closing day of the league campaign this weekend.

"It's ongoing, we've got a starting point and things can change," McGhee explained. "If we finish fifth or fourth it makes a difference and we will factor that into the offers we can make them.

"It's not a figure we have plucked out of the air, there are real numbers that we can put to this. Those numbers are affected by whether we finish sixth, fifth or fourth.

"This is what we've been able to offer at this moment in time but if our situation changes then we will factor that in to offers we make them. If nothing changes nothing will change.

"It's significant. On our budget it's almost three players."

"We have a smaller budget to spend next year and we don't have a choice [but to make cut backs]. [Club owner] Les Hutchison has left us in a good position. He left us stable - but with a budget we have to make work."