Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski says he’s close to agreeing a new contract with the Blues.

The Pole, whose current deal is up this summer but with Town having an option for a further season, told Polish website 2x45.info that he and the Blues aren’t far away from agreeing new terms.

"The talks about the new contract have already begun," he said. "I think we're close to finalising the deal.

"I'm very happy here and would like to stay in the club. If we reach an agreement I think the new deal will be longer than one year."

The 28-year-old joined the Blues from Notts County on what was initially a free transfer in the summer of 2014, having previously had a spell on loan at Town when a Southampton player without making a senior appearance.

Bialkowski says he would be happy to spend the rest of his career in English football.

"I wouldn't mind that at all," he admitted. "I can't make any definite promises because the life of a footballer is full of surprises but I can't deny I'm feeling great in England. I've been here 10 years and played longer in the UK than Poland."

More immediately, he is hoping to keep his place in the side once Dean Gerken returns from his shoulder injury.

"I want to show my best so the gaffer has no reason to change his first-choice keeper," he continued. "Every game is important. We play Bristol City on Saturday and I'm pretty sure I'll start.

"But for the next game [against Hull] a week later, Gerken should be fit and the manager will have to decide who's his number one.

"I didn't lose my place in the starting line-up because of a dip in form but because of the tragic family event [the death of his father]. But the manager has been happy with my performances so far, so I am quite optimistic about the future."

He added: "The competition has always been fierce and neither of us could ever feel 100 per cent certain about his place.

"It's all in my hands now and I hope I am going to stay in goal for the rest of the season. I know I deserve it."

Reflecting on Town's promotion push, the Braniewo-born keeper said: "It's going to be really tough. There are so many teams trying to get into the top six and the table is really tight.

"It can all be decided yet again in the very last game of the season. We'd like to at least repeat last year's achievement and reach play-offs. Once we're there, anything can happen."

He added: "We reached play-offs last year and I even won promotion with Southampton but I was nowhere near the starting XI so I decided to leave.

"Maybe third time lucky? It won't be easy but I guess never is. The Premier League is definitely my dream."

Bialkowski says fellow Pole Piotr Malarczyk is settling into life in England: "Piotr is pretty much on his own now and he has no problems communicating in English.

"I obviously helped him a bit at first but I never had to babysit him or anything like that!

"We spend a lot of time together outside football and Piotrek visits us quite often. It's definitely a nice thing to have another countryman in the team and I'm sure Piotrek feels the same way as he's lived alone in England so far."

Photo: Action Images

S_Bassett added 19:00 - Feb 10 YES BART!
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Geoff added 19:14 - Feb 10 Best keeper on our books great news if he signs.
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RobTheMonk added 19:26 - Feb 10 Bart comes across as being just a real nice bloke. Arguably the best keeper we've had since Begovic maybe? Will be really glad if he signs.
15

prebbs007 added 19:32 - Feb 10 Get rid of Gerken get a top keeper in and Bart a great back up.
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BLUEBEAT added 19:34 - Feb 10 Was a little worried about Bart's contract situation due to Gerken having the bulk of the play this season, so this is excellent news. He's the best keeper of the two.
14

airliner added 20:05 - Feb 10 No Bart should be number 1 not gerks
7

Cakeman added 20:26 - Feb 10 Yes pleased about this. Bart is consistent and has a great attitude.
5

Mark added 20:27 - Feb 10 Good news, and I agree Bart should hold his first team place. He was very unfortunate to lose his place in August after conceding 3 goals in 3 matches. Then at Man Utd and Portsmouth in the cup he was voted Man of the Match on this site, as he was at QPR two games into his league return.
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southnorfolkblue added 21:17 - Feb 10 This shows a good attitude because he's clearly happy to fight for his place and not sulk if he is on the bench. I think that he is slightly better than Gerks, but there isn't much in it.
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Vizslaraner added 21:56 - Feb 10 Sign him now, getting better all the time IMO
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Bert added 23:12 - Feb 10 Good news that Bart wants to stay. It also proves wrong those who claimed with no actual knowledge that he has been badly treated by MM. Not much to chose between the two keepers as seen through my eyes. Both still learning and will get better.
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Stato added 23:37 - Feb 10 With Murphy not really being pushed by Varney or Pitman this is the only place in the team where there is an serious competition for places and it has brought the best out of both keepers. Great attitude from Bart and glad we have him but hopefully Mick won't be renewing Gerkens contract when it's up so we can try and step things up in the keeper department.
3

Tufty added 05:53 - Feb 11 Tommy smith needs to be next
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sidtheswan added 06:28 - Feb 11 Wouldn't sign any new contract until Deano returns to see who Myopic Mick prefers . We all know Barts the best and a good championship keeper who should be our number 1 at this level.
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Dissboyitfc added 06:32 - Feb 11 Great news, great guy and a decent keeper. Will be a real injustice if Gers walks straight back in, wouldnt be surprised in the slightest though if MM does give the keepers position back to gerks.
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iaintaylorx added 09:13 - Feb 11 28 is still a very young age for a goalkeeper. Great guy, great goalkeeper and showed how good he is against QPR. Commands his box and makes himself big. Would be a great deal!
4

IpswichT62OldBoy added 09:20 - Feb 11 Well he hasn't signed yet, perhaps he is waiting to see how MM handles Gerks return to fitness.
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paulcooperisgod added 10:37 - Feb 11 Bart is the better keeper but you know Gerken is MMs is one of his favourites
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brian_a_mul added 10:55 - Feb 11 We have two good championship keepers coming in to the prime now. Improving the quality of GK while in the Championship makes no sense for us as the cost for a better, experienced keeper would be very expensive. Top keepers come at a premium. What we have now is more than good enough to challange in this league, promotion would allow us to put some investment in to a new GK. For now we are fine wrt to GKs.

1

Westy added 11:27 - Feb 11 Bart is our best keeper. I know there is still the Bristol City game between now and Dean Gerken's return to fitness, but if MM drops Bart and puts Gerks back in he will lose a lot of credibility in my book as it will go against everything MM has said previously about his criteria for selection.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 12:02 - Feb 11 Good news! Seems to be a really decent guy and saying all the right things. Agree Bart should keep his place. Anything else would be hypocritical, and possession is nine tenths of the law, as they say. But you never know ....
3

bohslegend added 12:23 - Feb 11 Sidtheswan and others showing their usual anti-MM bias with aplomb. You do all realise that it's MM offering Bart a new contract don't you? This notion that suits your argument that MM leaves Bart out because he doesn't rate him is being disproved here and clearly shows how highly the manager rates him. The fact is that none of us see either keeper on a daily basis, and on top of that, keepers more so than any other position need to feel confident, and a good manager knows you do not chop and change your keeper week by week. Both keepers have had their share of excellent performances this season and last IMO and equally both have made mistakes. Ultimately the manager can only choose one at a time, and gives his full backing to the individual with the jersey as a sign of support and encouragement. Sorry if this doesn't suit all of your simplistic conspiracy theories, but hey ho I'm not in favour of sacking a manager who has us competing at the right end of the league again after so long at the other end.

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dubblue added 14:43 - Feb 11 A positive development, agree Bart is the better keeper and still not sure why he did not return to 1st team football after his return from compassionate leave.
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Seasider added 15:17 - Feb 11 I know you think that Mick never makes a mistake but even he is fallible;I know am. Most people think he was wrong in not re-instating Bart after the death of his father;but a lot of people who think this,have not demanded that MM be sacked. I agree that both keepers have made mistakes;but personally I feel that Bart has made fewer,and commands his box better.The chap I sit next to was with Spurs as a youngster,and then spent many years as a goalkeeper in local football;and if he also thinks the Pole is better then that's good enough for me. I presume that you like many are pleased that Bart has been offered an extended contract. It is also good I feel that there is genuine competition for the position of keeper at this club,which cant be said for other positions where some players are a shoo in for every game.

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bohslegend added 22:07 - Feb 11 Seasider I don't begrudge you that opinion at all, everyone is entitled to consider any player better than any other, thats football.. My point is that so many use the keeper situation to bash the manager as if it's totally obvious to everyone that Bart is better and therefore he manager needs to listen up. I'd argue that he difference is minimal between both keepers, and for me Bart does slightly edge it, but the manager has every right to back one over the other. There's only one manager - and he gets it right far more than he gets it wrong hence our challenge for the playoff places.

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