UNIREA Urziceni manager Dan Petrescu is hoping to tempt Morton to part with star man Jim McAlister after being very impressed with him during Monday night's friendly at Cappielow.

The Romanian champions beat Morton 3-1, but Petrescu was so taken with McAlister that he spoke to Morton chairman Douglas Rae at half-time.

Rae said: "Dan Petrescu said he liked the look of him and that they could be interested in him. He did say, however, that he would need to speak to his chairman." The Ton owner said that he would be willing to let McAlister go providing the money was right and the player was willing to go. He said: "If it were cost effective, and Jim wanted to go there, then he could go. I've always had a close interest in the boy.

"But at this moment there has been no contact from them or mention of any fee.

"It's not everyone who could settle in another country.

"I will be talking to the manager [Davie Irons] this morning about it." Rae offered McAlister a new three-year deal at the start of the season but it was rejected. The chairman explained: "His agent told him not to sign because his contract is up at the end of this season and he would then be able to choose where he could go.

"At the end of December he is free to talk to anyone." Yesterday Davie Irons told the Telegraph: "They were quite impressed with Jim. He was bright and direct." Asked if that might mean something more concrete, Irons said: "No, no. They were not interested in that respect.

"It was just the normal chat between managers after a game. It was just a comment." It was McAlister who set up Stevie Masterton for the Morton goal in a 3-1 defeat.

Irons added: "I think the fans appreciated the way we are trying to play the game, especially the second half.

"There was some initial frustration in the first half, but we were trying to play with discipline and keep our shape.

"In the second half we opened up a bit more. We lost scrappy goals, but we were never carved open. Stevie Masterton scored a wonderful goal.

"Having Neil MacFarlane in there makes a difference to us and allows the others to get forward more. We are trying to play more of a passing game.

"The boys did well and I just said to them, how often does a Champions League team come to Cappielow?" Morton had two trialist goalkeepers in their squad on Monday night and Irons said: "They were just that - trialists. One was from the Czech Republic and there will be no further interest there, the other was American." On the injury front Kevin Finlayson should be okay for Sunday's competitive kick-off at Dumbarton in the ALBA Challenge Cup.

Iain Russell should also be fit while Alex Walker, who is suffering from an abdominal strain, also has a good chance of making it.

The news on defender Dominic Shimmin is not so good. Irons said: "It's frustrating for him and for me. It's January since he last kicked a ball and it is concerning." ● Morton fans are reminded that remaining tickets for the St Mirren-Morton Renfrewshire Cup Final on 28 July at 7.30pm are now available from Cappielow and the Morton Shop at Smiths during normal hours.