Jim Magilton requires more time to decide if he will sign a new deal with Ipswich.
Ipswich manager Joe Royle says that skipper Jim Magilton requires more time to decide if he will sign a new deal with the Championship side.The 36-year-old has been offered an extension to his current arrangement at Portman Road but has yet to commit himself to Royle's cause.
Ipswich are keen to keep hold of the veteran midfielder after seeing a succession of players depart after their play-off failure - including both Tommy Miller and Shefki Kuqi on free transfers.
Fabian Wilnis, Jimmy Juan and Dean McDonald are all expected to extend their stays in the next few days whilst Royle revealed that Magilton is still pondering how to see out the twilight of his career.
"The skipper loves this football club and was leading the boys around the training ground on the first day back in training on Friday with as much enthusiasm as ever," Royle told the club's official website.
"But he's asked for a little more time to make a decision on what is a crucial year for him, he's 36 and at a crossroads in his career really.
"He has to make up his mind whether he wants to carry on playing or move into coaching, or perhaps try and combine both and that is the big question for him at the moment.
"It's got nothing to do with the playing side here because as I said he loves this football club, he has to look at what's ahead for him."
Magilton is known to be keen to move back to the North West at some point in the future, and has been linked with a move to League One side Tranmere.
Royle admitted that another club had offered his captain a coaching role, although denied it was the Wirral-based outfit.
"He's had a serious offer from elsewhere to take on a player/coach role and has asked me for a little more time to weigh up in what direction he needs to go over the next 12 months," Royle continued.
"I hope he stays because he's a terrific player and has been a great influence on the team since I've been here but we will give him the time he needs to make that decision.
"He has been offered a player/coach role but it's not at Tranmere."
