MORTON manager David Hopkin says he hopes to make a decision on several trialists by the end of the week.

The Ton boss has run the rule over five players who have been brought in to train alongside the rest of the squad during pre-season.

Hopkin would not be drawn on any of the players’ names, but the Tele understands ex-Falkirk defender Ryan McGeever is one of the players who has been at Cappielow this week.

After leaving the Bairns in 2015, he played at Queen’s Park for several seasons before making the move to Brechin City in 2017.

He played alongside now-Morton winger Kalvin Orsi at Glebe Park, but suffered a double relegation with City, after they fell from the Championship down to League 
Two.

One player the Ton are not interested in is Chris McStay, who spent last season with Clyde.

Hopkin says he would like to make a decision on the trialists by Friday.

He told the Tele: “Every team will be looking for players and agents want to send you players for a few days.

“We’ve managed to get a few in and see how they’ve done. 

“They’ve trained well and it’s one of these ones where we have some decisions to make towards the end of the week.

“You want to give players at least a full week of training, and by Friday I will let the players know one way or the other.

“You can look at players in training but you need to see them in games, and for some of them it’s unfortunate the first game isn’t until next week against Forfar away.

“Any players we do want to keep on we might try and get them to stay on another week.”

The former Livingston boss is keen to strengthen his defence in particular, with the club yet to sign a centre back.

The 48-year-old says it’s his top priority, as he looks to secure several more signings to complete his squad for the upcoming campaign.

He added: “We have to [sign more defenders], we’re more or less covered in every position now, it’s just the defenders that we’re working tirelessly to bring in.

“It takes time, it’s early in pre-season but once the next three or four weeks are done and the competitive games start, things change quickly.

“We have players and targets we want to try and get in but we just need to be patient.”

Morton recently missed out on Tom Lang, who joined Dunfermline Athletic last week after receiving a late offer from the Pars.

Hopkin said: “He was one of the players we were interested in, but he’s decided to go elsewhere.”