Oli Shaw ends Motherwell loan spell and returns to Barnsley

Motherwell have continued to reshape their squad by ending Oli Shaw’s loan spell from Barnsley.

Shaw follows Nathan McGinley out of Fir Park this week after full-back Callan Elliot and midfielder Sam Nicholson arrived.

Shaw was signed on a season-long deal in August during an injury crisis up front but the former Hibernian, Ross County and Kilmarnock forward did not score in 16 appearances, all but two of which were off the bench.

The 25-year-old had been missing through injury either side of the winter break and Motherwell announced that “all parties have agreed to terminate the current loan agreement, to allow Oli to return to Barnsley to continue his rehabilitation”.

The departure leaves Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell with only Theo Bair and the injured Jon Obika as experienced strikers following the earlier exits of Conor Wilkinson and Mika Biereth.

McGinley left after making only four substitute appearances since March 2022, and having failed to get on the pitch during a recent loan spell with Partick Thistle.

Former Hearts midfielder Nicholson arrived on Tuesday night on a contract until the end of the season following a second spell with Colorado Rapids.

The 29-year-old has also played for Minnesota and Bristol Rovers since leaving Tynecastle in 2017.

Kettlewell told Motherwell’s website: “Sam has a lot to offer the team. He has good experience here in Scotland but also on his travels. He will add creativity and quality to the team.”