New deal for Connor or ta-ra?

Sunderland are determined not to let Connor Wickham run down his contract – and will either press him to sign an extension or reluctantly make him available this summer.

The Black Cats’ summer planning was complicated by the contract situations of Phil Bardsley, Jack Colback and Seb Larsson, who all came to the end of their deals in the close season, and sporting director Lee Congerton is determined not to allow a repeat next year.

They have opened negotiations with the striker on a possible new deal and would like him to continue where he left off at the end of last season, when he emerged as an unlikely relegation saviour with a flurry of vital goals against Chelsea and Manchester City.

However, if he resists their overtures Sunderland are prepared to sell him – with Crystal Palace among the suitors for a striker who has been a regular on the England under-21 scene.

Sunderland would at least be spared the situation which unfolded with Colback, where they lost the 24-year-old to Newcastle for nothing.

Wickham will still be under 24 next summer and so the Black Cats would be entitled to compensation – but there are no guarantees they would recoup anything close to the eight-figure price they paid for him.

 

Sign or sod off. Simple as that.

 

We will be the biggest club he will ever play for, it will be greed and not ambition which makes him engineer a transfer, a bit like Colback.....










the bait is set.......

 

What Davie said.

 

Huts run of firm at the end of the season has put him on a strong position. We should never have got to this point and contracts should never.(imo) run until the last year. Hope he signs but if not them he needs selling now

 

Predictive text's a twat mate eh?

 

This can be looked as a positive as the run of form could mean we at least get our money back if we sell now if a new deal is not signed.

 

I said on another thread, it depends how much he wants and how much the club feels he's worth in wages. I don't doubt the lad thinks he's worth more than he actually is. He'll see himself as a superstar who saved us which is all well and good but when you look at the big picture he's actually a striker who's only managed one ten game run of form in three years. He ain't worth more than 30k a week at the moment, even then it's generous but I didn't put an 18 year old on 25k a week in the first place.

 

Pretty much sums it up mate. Although he only got one ten game run in the side in the seasons as well. Ben badly managed Imo.

 

Horrendously managed, he's two years behind in his development for a start, not his fault, then there's his contract situation.

Why don't we just offer the first contracts when they have two years to run? That way we get a better indication of how a player see's his future, we've then got time to shift them for a decent price or at least be more in the picture of what requirements the squad could need in the near future and use the time well to prepare for it(like bleeding in a promising young replacement).

 

i doubt it, but i hope so as i have touted him all along

 

In spite of his heroics at the end of the season, I still think he'll be on his way out this summer.

 

I'd be suprised if cabbage face isnt sniffing about

Ps as in the actual vegetable

 

He will go on to be a star in my opinion. Who ever is in charge of contracts at the club needs to be sacked and questions need to be asked. Apparently he won't sign and no doubt these snippets have been released by the club to prepare us.

 

You couldnt blame the lad if he wants to see if there are any suitors, he's far from daft (recent tv interviews etc) only think he would leave for a top 6 club (is he that good yet?) nimho

 

I'd probably give him anything up to £40k, if that puts him on a par with the Larssons and O'Sheas of the squad. Bit of a gamble but he's still young enough to stay and excel - and if he doesn't, at least he'll have a resale value next summer, which is better than letting him go for nowt.

 

Agreed. He's nowhere near the finished article. If he did sign to a top6 club he'd be straight out on loan.

 

He will play for a bigger club ,no disrespect to ours but imo he will go on to better things and this world cup debacle has shown a huge gap for a forward like connor,the club should have done better with him its a joke in reality.
Said at the start he will go on and get a full cap .

 

We must keep hold of Connor,IMO,but agree with tony..questions must be asked as to how these contracts are allowed to run-down.

 

Would anyone offer him 40k in wages if he fails next season? We could be lumbered. Massive risk as it would eat a large chunk of our wage budget on young striker who's failed to live up to expectations. Huge gamble, not sure if the club still has the balls, once bitten and all that. I get the feeling we're going to flog him.