WITH the authorities determined to finish the season, the issue of expiring contracts is another huge minefield.
While the likes of Willian, Pedro and Jan Vertonghen are coming to the end of their deals at the top of the table, the biggest impact will be at the bottom.
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Arsenal have long been linked with a summer move for Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, out of contract in the summerCredit: Getty – Contributor
Former England keeper Ben Foster has become a key part of their battle to stay in the Premier LeagueCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Contracts expire at the end of June but there are a number of players involved in the relegation mix who will be out of contract as and when the season returns.
To take two examples, look at Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser and Watford’s Ben Foster.
Both are vital to their sides and could make the difference between staying up or not with nine games to go.
Neither has signed a new deal — so what are they supposed to do after June 30?
While of course it might be their intention to stay at their current club for the long-term, why has this not been done already?
Fraser could sign for another team at the bottom and end up relegating Bournemouth. And if players have already agreed to join someone else, I can’t see how they would want to play the last few games.
Fifa have proposed emergency measures so players stay at their current clubs until the season is finished.
But there are a number of sports lawyers suggesting it might not be enforceable under UK employment law and it won’t change how those players feel.
If these clubs really wanted them, or the players did really want to stay, then normally everything would have been sorted by now.
But, similar to a situation I had at Southampton, teams at the bottom often don’t want to enter negotiations until the season is over.
I had a promise of an offer but because they were struggling it kept getting put back and back.
So we’re in a situation where Fraser could potentially sign for another team down at the bottom and end up relegating Bournemouth.
And if players have already agreed to join someone else, I can’t see how they would want to play the last few games of the season.
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It looks as though we are going to end up with two groups of out-of- contract players.
Firstly, there will be the players who the club did not want anymore.
For them, it’s a case of ‘happy days’ because if you’ve got nothing else lined up you could end up getting paid for another three months or so until the season is completed.
The second group will be the players who don’t want to be there but clubs want them to sign short-term deals to finish the season.
If they’ve got other, more lucrative deals in the pipeline, would they really want to put their body on the line and risk snapping their Achilles?
On a free, Fraser is the type of player that a number of those teams in the relegation mix may well be looking at.
Of course they are all professionals but if he has something lined up elsewhere I can’t see him wanting Bournemouth staying up at their expense.
This issue is going to open up another huge can of worms and for me it is just another reason as to why the season should end now.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
