Joey Barton wants Ashley Nadesan and others to sign new Fleetwood Town deals

It was the 24-year-old striker’s 10th of the season, his other goals scored on loan at Carlisle United.

Nadesan’s contract expires this summer but Barton is keen for him to extend his stay at the League One club.

The Town boss said: “I hope he renews his contract and is a part of what we are trying to build here. He has been a positive member of our squad.”

Nadesan joined the club in 2016 from non-league Horley Town but he didn’t make his first League One start until he returned from Carlisle last month.

Asked if negotiations were ongoing, Barton said: “You’d have to ask the chief executive but it is something we are keen to do.

“Andy Pilley (chairman) has put a lot of faith in him. He was working at McDondald’s until Fleetwood brought him into the League and gave him a platform.

“I don’t think there has always been great care taken in his development.

“There maybe some issues to be resolved (from) before my time here. We have tried to do the right thing by him – let him out on loan to build his confidence and get him football.

“He has done that, come back, made a great impact for us and we are keen to sit down and have a conversation with him. My thoughts and feelings on that are that we should move it along.”

And Nadesan is not the only Town player in that position as Barton explained: “We are looking at renegotiating with a number of players. The key for us is that they are handled sensibly within the wage structure of our team because we want to keep good players at the football club.

“One criticism I maybe have to have of previous regimes is that that has not always been the case.

“We have lost good players on free transfers, which should never happen if you do the correct thing by your players.

“We ask for loyalty, we ask for certain things as a manager and a coaching staff.

“It is important when lads do that and give you the performances ... that you recognise and reward that, and say, ‘Look, we want more players like you to do this for our football club’.

“We have a great group at the minute and it is getting stronger every day.”