Hughes wants to offer the defender a three-year contract, but understands if Barr, who he worked with at Falkirk, desires to explore his options. Both Dundee and Hearts have this week been given permission to speak to the player, whose contract expires at the end of this season. "It's not dead, it's up to Darren," he said. "No matter what Darren does, I wish him all the best. "I think he needs a better stage – no disrespect to Falkirk. We've given it our best shot. It's simple: he's entitled to do what he does; we're entitled to do what we do. If you cannot agree then the two of you go and look elsewhere." Hughes has distanced himself from talk he might make a move for Alan Gow, another of his former players. The Plymouth midfielder left Falkirk for Rangers, but has since found it hard to return to the heights he achieved under Hughes at the Falkirk Stadium. "He is a player I really like, and would want to one day work with again," Hughes said. "But otherwise 'no comment', because there is not a comment to make." Hughes believes he has wheeled-and-dealed to good effect already, having brought in the likes of Liam Miller and Anthony Stokes during the last transfer window. While he knows there is room for improvement, he won't be panicked into making decisions he might later regret. "Sometimes you can rush in and make a mistake," he said. "If you get the opportunity to bring a player in then you use it. If you feel you can get one on loan, then use that as well. But even if one comes in or nobody does then I feel I have the boys at this club who still have a bit to prove. There are players like (Patrick] Cregg, Lewis Stevenson and Benji who have found themselves sitting on the bench recently, while one or two of the young ones like (Danny] Galbraith, (Kurtis] Byrne and Kevin McCann can be brought in. I still think there is a wee bit more to come. "I think we have brought the right players in. But I am still only 65 per cent happy. We are miles away from where I see it."