Ipswich boss Paul Jewell has revealed that he plans to offer new contracts to Grant Leadbitter and Jason Scotland.
Town boss to offer fresh terms to Leadbitter and Scotland
Ipswich boss Paul Jewell has revealed that he plans to offer new contracts to Grant Leadbitter and Jason Scotland.
Both men are edging towards the end of their current deals and are among the club's biggest earners.
Town are keen to cut costs during difficult financial times, but Jewell is hoping both can be persuaded to stay on at Portman Road.
"I want to sign Grant Leadbitter and I want to sign Jason Scotland," he told the
East Anglian Daily Times.
"Whether we can do a deal which will satisfy them financially I don't know - it will be their prerogative what they say, but we do want to keep them."
Scotland has a clause in his contract that entitles him to an extension on the same terms if he passes a certain number of appearances, but Jewell insists that will not be affecting his selection policy.
Positive
"If I think he should play, he will play," he added.
"Jason is brilliant around the place. He's loud, he's positive, he's a good player.
"We'll be trying to sit down and sort out some sort of deal for next season.
"Everyone knows he's got a clause in his contract, so we'll need to sit down and talk about what works for both parties.
"I've spoken to him at length. Without ducking the issue, it's not really right for me to discuss the full ins and outs.
"Jason knows we'd like to keep him, he's quite happy to listen to what we've got to say and vice versa. It's a situation that will hopefully be resolved quickly."
Committed
Asked if Scotland and Leadbitter may be asked to take pay cuts, Jewell said: "We've got to try and live within our means. We'd love to be able to sign people on 20, 30, 40 grand a week because you'd get good quality, but we can't because we'd go bankrupt.
"This is a terrific football club and we want people to want to be here. If managers, or players, or any member of staff don't want to be here then they are better off moving.
"We only want people who are 100 per cent committed to Ipswich Town and trying to get us to the next level."
