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McCarthy Confirms Town to Exercise Options on Chambers and Berra Deals - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that the Blues will be taking up the options to keep skipper Luke Chambers and fellow centre-half Christophe Berra for a further season.

The duo's contracts were due to end this summer but with the club having an option to extend those terms for a further season which must be taken up by May 1st.

Chambers was the subject of interest from his former club Nottingham Forest in January, while Berra has been repeatedly linked with one of his previous clubs, Hearts, along with Rangers.

"Their options will be exercised and then we can deal with it afterwards,” McCarthy said.

"Whether there’s any negotiation over and beyond that one-year option, that’s for them and their agents to talk to Marcus about.”

Has he had a chance to talk to them to find out whether they would like to stay? "Chambo, of course [he would], but Christophe, it’s been well publicised that he has a commitment up in Edinburgh with his daughter and he’d like to be there. But we’ve an option on him.

"That’s not the easiest thing just to do because he’s been a really fantastic player for us, he’s been a stalwart.

"Whenever he’s been fit, he’s played, pretty much. So I’ll leave that with Marcus. Of course, I’ve spoken to them.”

McCarthy says he’s yet to hold his main discussion with owner Marcus Evans regarding the budget and plans for next season, although we understand the pair met over the weekend.

"We’ve only been talking around it at the moment and I’ll sit down with him after the Forest game and discuss it then,” he added.

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