Hughton admits he has difficult decisions to make over players' futures

Albion manager Chris Hughton knows he has difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks regarding players' futures for next season.
Chris Hughton. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Chris Hughton. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Chris Hughton. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

Club captain Bruno and Gaetan Bong have already signed new deals but Steve Sidwell, Liam Rosenior, Uwe Hunemeier, Tim Krul and Niki Maenpaa are all out of contract in the summer.

Sidwell has not played all season owing to a back injury and Hughton admits he has a tough decision to make regarding the midfielder: "Yes, but unless it's the obvious - and you do get some obvious situations when somebody is at the end of a contract - but most decisions are difficult decisions.

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"I've had them here. People like Andrew Crofts, Gordon Greer and Calde (Inigo Calderon), players coming towards the end of their careers but still have good value in them, are still good around the place and still have a good level of ability.

"They are always very difficult ones and Steve Sidwell will be no different."

On the goalkeeper situation and Krul and Maenpaa, Hughton said: "They’re ones we’re working on and with all contracts, we’ve got to be conscious of the ones that are running out or those that possibly have a year left and sometimes you can get an early conclusion on some like Bruno and Gaetan, whereas others can take longer. That’s normal and whenever we get to decisions on them, we’ll let you know."

Hughton added the club will have a decision to make over Walton's future. The 22-year-old starred in goal to help Wigan gain promotion from League One and Hughton said: "He’s had a very good season and if I look at his development, does he now need to go to that next step?

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"He’s had a very good season in League One, does he need a next loan step that’s going to test him even more in the Championship or do we want him round here where he’s possibly not going to be playing. They are the decisions we are working around at the moment and trying to come to some conclusions."

Hughton will also have decisions to make over defenders Rosenior and Hunemeier and striker Leonardo Ulloa, whose loan from Leicester comes to an end this summer.