Manager contract promises

I just promised my best young defender a new contract when he reportedly had concerns over his wages. To be fair I was considering giving him a new deal to fend off the advances of other clubs as he is on much less money than the rest of my first team squad, but when I opened negotiations he wants more money than is in my current wage budget (there's no room for manoeuvre on this). I'm expecting to be promoted so should have a bigger wage budget (or can cull some deadwood in my squad) at the end of the season so I can give him the money he deserves, I'm just wondering how soon he expects me to fulfill my promise of a new deal (it's February) without getting upset?

heh, hopefully you can get to the end of the easob, in some of my games they have started whining a matter of weeks after me not giving them the new contract they want.