Michael Beale has strongly hinted that contract negotiations, which finally took place properly with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos (particularly the former) over the past 10 days during the international break, yielded no positive results with the admission that they’re ‘not on the same page’.
The negotiations, over the two attackers out of contract in particular, had been promised by Beale in the run-up to the break, with the statement that he would be talking properly with Kent in particular about his situation, but his admission since then and following the end of the internationals doesn’t appear overly positive. He said:
“The most important thing is those conversations remain private until everyone is on the same page.”
Those conversations were directly related to Morelos and Kent, and Beale’s hint there is currently no agreement exists.
He went on:
“They are both training well, they are both available for selection. With both those boys you’re welcome to ask me every week and get the same answer. We’ve spoken to them and it’s ongoing. The goalposts always move, if you like, but our decisions are being made, we’re very aligned. My relationship with Ross [Wilson] is very strong. We’re respectful of the fact we have 10 games to go – hopefully 11.”
The goalposts shifting is a very cryptic clue indeed, hinting that both players may have found new clubs and this makes a new deal very hard to secure. It could also strongly hint that both of them are asking too much cash, which simply harks back to what chairman Douglas Park said at the AGM about the pair.
But the wording from Beale, who’s often too keen to tell too much about things he should keep quiet on, suggests a lack of progress over those talks and the likelihood both players are probably going to leave this summer.
Is this a problem? What will be will be, we need to know now so we can plan a proper assault on the Scottish Premiership, and if both players need to be replaced, that’s just the way it is.
There’s nothing concrete, but Beale does like to drop major hints about what’s going on – but he also likes to fabricate endlessly as well. Time will tell.