MOTHERWELL manager Maurice Malpas is keeping his fingers crossed he will have three new players available for the visit of Rangers on January 2.

Malpas is on the verge of completing the signing of highly-rated Irish trio Danny Murphy, TrevorMolloy and Paul Keegan.

However, he has been frustrated by the long delay in the players getting international clearance to register in Scotland from the FAI.

And the Steelmen supremo is still uncertain whether he will be able to field them in his side's first SPL clash of 2007 against the Gers at Fir Park.

Malpas confirmed: "We have agreed everything with the players and now it is just a case of presenting their contracts to the SPL and getting them registered.

"We are still waiting for all the players to receive international clearance from the FAI. But that has to be done either today or on the days they are in next week.

"All being well, we'd like to be able to play them against Rangers on January 2, but things are dragging on more than we would have liked.

"We presented Danny's papers to the FAI two weeks ago and we have still not heard anything back from them. It is annoying."

Malpas added: "Danny is a defender from Cork, while Trevor is a midfielder and Paul is a striker from St Patrick's. They have been in for training and have looked good.

"These guys have good experience of competitive first team football and I think they will suit the Scottish game. Having lost Calum Elliot and Keith Lasley, it will be good to get some fresh faces in."