Barton Stalling on new deal

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12874_6781222,00.html

Joey Barton has followed Jose Enrique's line of refusing to talk about a new contract until the summer.

Whilst reaffirming his delight that Chiek Tiote had signed a new long-term deal, he revealed that Barton was not yet ready to sign.

Barton, has less than 18-months left on his current deal, but earlier this month he stated that a new contact was all but agreed in principle and he was ready to sign.

But Pardew now says that Barton is waiting until the summer, following the same path as that of Spanish defender Jose

"We have made a decent offer," Pardew said of Barton.

"But it's difficult negotiating with any senior player at this level and I think Joey's view is to perhaps see what happens in the summer.

"I don't want to speak for Joey, but that might be where he's at with it. I want to keep him, and I've made that clear to Mike [Ashley], but that process will probably run until the summer now."

Pardew feels that Tiote's new deal is a sign of Mike Ashley's willingness to spend money, following Andy Carroll's big-money move to Liverpool in January.

 

reading various sites this morning and the sticking point seems to be the length of the contract.for once money isn't the issue it's the length of contract Joey wants 3 yrs the club have offered 2.

is it an extension to his current deal (ends 2012) or a new contract replacing his current one there seems to be conflicting reports.
tbh it's best to wait and see but once again it's fodder for the press to get the daggers out

 

it's the press against us we don't know the truth so i think we should wait until things are said by the appropriate people at the relevant times!

 

Maybe he's waiting for confirmation of our survival?

 

I'm assuming he's after a 3 year extension? Keeping him here till 2015, being the 4 or 5 years he's been 'reportedly' after

 

Fair enough, if Enrique can do it, why can't he.