JON WALTERS’ ONGOING contract disagreement with Stoke City shows no sign of being resolved with the club’s chief executive hoping for a ‘compromise’ between both parties.
Ireland international Walters is in the final year of his current contract at the Britannia Stadium and has been locked in discussions with club officials for the last couple of months.
The 31-year-old, who has been with Stoke since August 2010, was close to joining Norwich City towards the end of the summer transfer window but the Potters rejected a £1.5 million bid for the forward.
Instead, he remained at Stoke and has once again highlighted his enduring worth with a productive start to the season – he has scored in three consecutive games, including in Saturday’s win over Bournemouth.
But speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, chief executive Tony Scholes hinted that the club aren’t prepared to bow to Walters’ demands.
It’s believed Walters wants a two-year deal but Stoke are only prepared to offer him a further one-year contract.
“In 99% of cases, it’s about finding a compromise,” Scholes said.
“We hope it’ll be sorted on our terms, he hopes on his terms. Players will always want what they believe they’re worth and why shouldn’t they?
“They employ agents and it is the agent’s job to understand what the marketplace is like and how that translates into the value for their own player.
“As players get older, the terms of the contract become important. But, as a club, we have to be careful not to over-extend ourselves.”
After being linked with a move away from the club, Walters was left out of the matchday squad for trips to Norwich and Arsenal but has since returned to the fold.
In his four Premier League appearances, he has netted twice and remains an integral part of a Potters side who have made a stuttering start to the campaign.
Despite the battle in the boardroom, Scholes, just like Hughes, has hailed Walters’ professionalism and says there’s been no fallout between the player and club.
“We disagree with him on the contract he should have going forward and we have not been able to agree anything yet,” added Scholes.
“But we still get on. And, in the last couple of games, he’s been fantastic. He has shown what a great professional he is.
“No matter what the issues are going on, when he crosses that white line, he focuses on the game.”
