Some advice please

The contracts run out on a couple of my best players at the end of the season and both are not willing to commit to a new contract at the present time which is early December.

Can anyone who has had a similar experience offer any advice on what to do? Do I sell them in the January transfer window or wait in the hope that they resign?

I would try and get some money for them in January, but only after trying to get them to sign again in January. Sometimes, if there are no interested teams, the players will decide they may as well stay and sign a contract.

I would try and get some money for them in January, but only after trying to get them to sign again in January. Sometimes, if there are no interested teams, the players will decide they may as well stay and sign a contract.

Thanks for your help Nomis. What you say makes sense.

If they dont want to sign a new contract in january, sell them but make sure if you need the players, make it so they go to their new club at the end of the season

If they dont want to sign a new contract in january, sell them but make sure if you need the players, make it so they go to their new club at the end of the season

Yes, thanks for that aiston as I hadn't thought of that and that sounds like an excellent idea.

If you don't really need the money then keep them. If you're successful enough this season they may well decide to sign a new contract eventually.

I wouldn't try to sell them in January myself. If you put them up for sale, you're going to find that they're more likely to accept a contract from another club, whereas at the moment they probably haven't made up their mind what they want to do. Likelihood is that some foreign club will approach them and arrange to take them on a free in the Summer anyway, so you get a player that knows he's leaving and wont perform as well, and you still don't get any money for them.

It depends how important they are to your team, and how much you need the money, but if you're financially secure I'd work on improving your team's performance and hope this will change their mind around March / April. I often find that players who were unwilling to decide their future will actually say what they want in a new contract closer to the end of the season.

I wouldn't try to sell them in January myself. If you put them up for sale, you're going to find that they're more likely to accept a contract from another club, whereas at the moment they probably haven't made up their mind what they want to do. Likelihood is that some foreign club will approach them and arrange to take them on a free in the Summer anyway, so you get a player that knows he's leaving and wont perform as well, and you still don't get any money for them.

It depends how important they are to your team, and how much you need the money, but if you're financially secure I'd work on improving your team's performance and hope this will change their mind around March / April. I often find that players who were unwilling to decide their future will actually say what they want in a new contract closer to the end of the season.

Interesting.

The problem is that I'm playing as Shrewsbury Town in League One and the two players are both worth about a million a piece which is a lot of money to me. I don't think I can take a chance on them signing later as it's a lot of money to lose.

I am financially secure and even with the extra cash it's still difficult attracting players of top quality to a club like Shrewsbury.

Hmmm, decisions, decisions...

Well, I’ve got to January in the game and the two players in question are refusing to sign a new contract although there don’t appear to be any clubs interested in the players at the moment.

I’m currently 3rd in League One and things are going well so do I leave it and hope they both sign at a later date or sell them and not risk losing a potential £2 million in transfer fees?

It’s a big decision. Has anyone had a similar scenario?

Well, I’ve got to January in the game and the two players in question are refusing to sign a new contract although there don’t appear to be any clubs interested in the players at the moment.

I’m currently 3rd in League One and things are going well so do I leave it and hope they both sign at a later date or sell them and not risk losing a potential £2 million in transfer fees?

It’s a big decision. Has anyone had a similar scenario?

You may find that, should you get promoted, they'll be more inclined to sign a new contract with you.

But yes, I think every manager in the real world and in FM has to make this kind of decision fairly regularly.