Town boss Mick McCarthy says owner Marcus Evans is due to speak to skipper Luke Chambers’s agent regarding a new contract, while the Blues are close to agreeing new terms with left-back Myles Kenlock and are in talks with keeper Dean Gerken. McCarthy has also spoken about the contractual situation of Christophe Berra, reportedly a target of his old side Hearts and Rangers, and Jordan Spence and Steven Taylor, who are on short-term deals.

The Town boss said last month that Chambers, who was targeted by his former club Nottingham Forest on deadline day with his contract up at the end of the season although with the Blues having an option for a further year, would be getting new terms and says discussions are due to start this month.

“Marcus said he’d speak to his agent in March and, as far as I’m aware, it is March, so he’s got to speak to his agent,” he said.

“I’ve made my case clear about Chambo [the other] week, that we’d be talking to him and we should do it.”

The Town boss has previously said that right-back Spence’s performances had got him thinking about offering the former West Ham and MK Dons man extended terms and says he will assess the 26-year-old and centre-half Steven Taylor in the remaining weeks of the season.

“We’ve got 10 games to play,” he added. “Jordan Spence has impressed, Steven Taylor I thought did well in the games he’s played but he’s not played that many. But he’s an impressive personality around the place, he’s been good.”

But McCarthy admits that former Newcastle man Taylor’s injury record - the 31-year-old is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem - will come into the decision-making process.

“He’s had a lot of injuries throughout his career,” he added. “But I have to tell you, he’s a fine specimen in terms of an athlete, he really looks after himself, a good professional.

“Everything I’ve seen about him in the gym and what he does, how he lives his life, what he eats and doesn’t drink and eat is pretty impressive actually. But he’s had a lot of injuries and we can’t afford that, I need durable players.

“Chambo’s started every game, Berra, Tommy Smith up until his back operation, which was a serious one, Jonas. Defenders who are going to play week in, week out.”

Like Chambers, Christophe Berra, who has said he wants to return home to Scotland at some stage, is out of contract at the end of the season but the Blues also have an option to keep the 32-year-old for another season.

“Christophe Berra, there’s talk about him, that he wants to go to Hearts. I’m saying Hearts because it was the club he was at, but Scotland. But we’ve got an option on Christophe as well,” McCarthy reflected.

“I’ve had Christophe for a long time now [at Wolves and Town] and anybody that comes to me and talks to me about a funeral to a wedding to a birth to anything that’s family, I say go and sort it out because that’s going to be there when I’m long gone and they’re long gone from any club. That’s important to me as well.”

He says he wouldn’t want to keep a player who was keen to be elsewhere: “The issue is that when all the players sign contracts, if they sign it with an option in it, it’s there for the club to take up, or not.

“And it’s only at these times when people start questioning that option, three years ago when whoever signed them nobody questioned them, it was just there. It’s when it comes up and it’s ‘do you want to take it, don’t you want to take it?’

“What happens if I’ve gone and somebody comes in and went on ‘I want Christophe Berra to stay here’?

“There’s nothing he could do about it. He might say ‘I don’t want to play, I don’t want to be here’ but ultimately if you picked him I know what Christophe would do, he’d play.

“I’m not suggesting that scenario might happen, but it could. If they’ve got options in them, it’s up to the club to decide.

“I wouldn’t want to be keeping a player who was desperate to be somewhere else, you might as well play somebody else who wanted to play.”

Regarding keeper Dean Gerken, who is also out of contract at the end of the season but with the club having an option, he added: “Dean’s option has not been taken up but I think we’re in discussions with him to take that up.”

McCarthy confirmed that Myles Kenlock, 20, will be be getting a new deal: “Myles is getting a new contract. I think that’s pretty much agreed.”

Photo: TWTD

Swn98 added 16:19 - Mar 9 Reading this piece looks like the outers are going to be upset!
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BotesdaleBlue added 16:47 - Mar 9 “The issue is that when all the players sign contracts, if they sign it with an option in it, it's there for the club to take up, or not." This is how it should be. However, unless my memory is playing tricks, I thought it was reported last year that Douglas himself triggered the extra (second year) year on his contract by reaching a set number of appearances. If true, I wonder why he was offered a different type of contract to other players, particularly at his age. And we all know how that second year has panned out...

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therein61 added 16:51 - Mar 9 If you want durable players why do you persist with the one dimensional Skuse
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happybeingblue added 17:23 - Mar 9 Mick aint going anywhere lets be honest we all know that already! so its time evans gave mick the same budget that keane /jewell got, most managers would be bleating about lack of funds spent etc, but bringing in new players is one thing but the style of football has to change this is the main reason mick has come under pressure, its no coincidence that the best footballing sides are in the top 7, Barnsley aside who impress with their attack minded manager and this is what us town fans want!!

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jas0999 added 17:52 - Mar 9 Ah, so Evans is due to speak to his agent, but Mick doesn't actually know that he will. Still think the treatment of chambers by the club is poor. Good news about Kenlock. Gerken though is very average. I see little point of extending Taylor's deal. Injury prone. Spence is okay. No more or less.
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blue75 added 18:09 - Mar 9 Swn98 more like an article to keep season ticket renewals down.
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shakytown added 18:21 - Mar 9 He needs durable players because of his horrible style of play. If all you do is play hoof ball and kick the crap out of the opposition confrontational style of play you are going to have a lot of injuries. These type of players tend to have very little skill and that's what we are seeing every week from our useless load of third rate rejects.
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BlueNomad added 18:35 - Mar 9 Who exactly are "the rejects" and where from?
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thundercat600 added 18:37 - Mar 9 " Will be speaking to his agent" can't Chambers speak English or is he dumb, agents are robbers of cash, especially from the lower league clubs that are strapped for cash
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sixtyblue added 22:53 - Mar 9 Some of players mentioned should be nowhere near to be getting new contracts.If this happens season tickets will surely drop by thousands.A new broom Manager is needed to sweep away of some of the below average players who have been here for quite. A while and who are just not up to the grade for championship football.If you are thinking of leaving McCarthy then Marcus should not let you anywhere near the recruitment of new players,although as has been happening in the last three seasons we do not add anybody until the season starts when it's just the dregs left who can' find a club.

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cobboldblue added 23:49 - Mar 9 Please, please, please, give Taylor a chance, he is premier league quality even at 31 and COULD have a injury free season nest season.
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theblueginger added 12:01 - Mar 10 About time Chambers was signed up. Kenlock obviously as well. As for the others, Gerken is decent as a number 2 and probably not on large wages. I would actually keep Taylor , especially with Berra's situation, as when fit he is a Premier League CB. Spence is OK but I think we could do better in that position. Obviously we know Best, Coke, and probably Douglas and Berra are off.

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Razor added 14:07 - Mar 10 Before you give 0r offer Chambo a new contract could you please teach him first to pass a ball accurately over 5 yards and to keep the ball within the confines of the pitch?
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