Coke deal perfectly legal, says Gannon

Coke was unveiled as a Motherwell player on Tuesday afternoon, prompting an angry reaction from Northampton Town who claim the player had accepted a new contract with them via an e-mail from his agent.

The League Two club are determined to seek compensation for 23-year-old Coke, but Gannon is confident no fee is due in line with Fifa rules on the cross-border transfer of players aged under 24.

"My understanding of the situation is that the player had been offered terms of re-engagement which he didn't accept," said Gannon. "Given his age, he was available on an international free transfer.

"If there is something else, then we may have to look at the situation and discuss things with Northampton. But as far as we are concerned, the player was out of contract and available for a free transfer across borders.

"Our club should always make sure we do things correctly and by the rules. But it is also important Northampton and Shrewsbury make sure they are acting upon correct advice."

Asked if the Coke deal could fall through if Motherwell had to pay a fee for the player, Gannon added: "It is purely conjecture at this stage. It is important that both sides assess their legal position and then we will talk to Northampton on that basis."

Gannon hopes to make further additions to his squad over the next 48 hours.

"We want players who can have an impact straight away and improve the team, whether it's for the next round in Europe or the start of the SPL season," he said.

"Every position is open to improvement."