What has been said about Blackpool's contract situations - and Steve Bruce's thoughts on two in particular

A total of nine permanent players could depart Bloomfield Road at the end of the current campaign, on top of the five loanees who will return to their parent clubs.

It’s shaping up to be a huge off-season for the Seasiders, with some big calls awaiting Steve Bruce and the hierarchy at the club.

Jordan Gabriel (one-year option), Sonny Carey, Matthew Pennington (one-year option), Jake Beesley (one-year option), Ollie Norburn (one-year option), Jordan Rhodes, Josh Onomah, Richard O’Donnell, Mackenzie Chapman are the players currently coming towards the end of their deals.

We’ve take a look at what has been said concerning contract talks:

When will talks start?

While discussing contract negotiations earlier this month, Bruce admitted some talks would open up within the next month.

“We’ve got big discussions to make,” he said.

All of a sudden, you’re looking at the window. It’s all still to play for, we hope we can tie a few up, but we’ll have to see what happens in the next few weeks.

“There’s a lot of movement at this level, which is understandable because you don’t give out big, long contracts to people. You see a lot of turnover, more than I really ever thought there was.

“We did a lot of business in January, and it’s going to be a busy summer. We’ve got big discussions with a lot of people, but for the next three or four weeks we will just be concentrating on what we’re going to do on the pitch, then we’ll have those conversations and we’ll get stuck in.”

Admiration for ex-Everton defender

Former Everton youngster Matthew Pennington is among the Seasiders players who are coming to the end of their current contracts.

With a one-year option available for the 30-year-old, and Bruce having shared his admiration for him, it’d be hard to see the club not keeping him around.

“You can't get enough of people like Penno, he’s a great pro,” the Blackpool boss said earlier this month.

“As someone who sits in the chair and tries to manage these lads, if you had 20 of them then you’d have no problem. He lives his life right, and is a really decent human being.”

Ongoing talks with in-form man

Following his form throughout the last month, the Seasiders will be keen to tie Sonny Carey down with a new deal.

The midfielder, who first made the move to Bloomfield Road in 2021, had a one-year option exercised at the end of last season, meaning he is able to leave this time around if he wishes.

Discussing Carey’s situation earlier this month, Bruce said: “We’re talking to him this week again, talking to his agent. All of these things are difficult because the players have the prerogative to leave their contracts, that’s what the Bosman Rule was all about.

“I hope he commits and stays because he knows what I think of him as a player. I enjoy working with him day in, day out. We’ll put an offer to him and let’s hope he will stay for the next couple of years at least.

“He’s a great age, he’s starting to mature nicely. We’re doing everything we can, and let’s hope we’ve got the persuasive powers to get him to sign a new deal.”

Meanwhile, Carey has also spoken openly about the ongoing talks, and how he is approaching them.

“I’ve got a good agent that looks after me, so I know I’m in safe hands with him, and he’ll get what’s best for me,” he explained.

“Discussions have opened, so it’s something going on behind the scenes. I’m loving my football at the moment, so all is good.

“The way I am, I just like to play, so I let all that go on in the background. People tell me to focus on my football and everything else will take care of itself.”

Players who are almost certain to leave

With Ollie Norburn and Jordan Rhodes both sent out on loan in January due to a lack of game time under Bruce, it is expected that both will depart at the conclusion of their contracts.

Both were restricted to the bench for the majority of the first half of the season , with the head coach going with different options.

Discussing his contract situation in an interview back in January, Wigan Athletic loanee Norburn said: “Football is football, you never know what’s around the corner.

“As far as I see it, I’ve got to come here and get to the performance levels I can, and whatever happens in the future will probably be out of my hands; I’ve just got to concentrate on my football.”

Meanwhile, around the same time, when asked if the 32-year-old had played his final game in Tangerine, Bruce responded: “I would think so.”

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