It’s always a nervous moment, going into the end of the season with one of your best players yet to sign a new contract.
For some teams, contract renewals can happen throughout the season and are very well-publicised. However, for others going into the end of the season with a player’s contract expiring can bring out sparks of panic for any fan.
Clubs, such as Wycombe Wanderers, which frequently hide the length of contacts to the public, and often only renew deals in a burst in the summer, it can be hard work waiting till the end of the season to know who’s staying, and who’s going.
As such, here are five League One players whose contracts are expiring at the end of this season, many of whom could have teams and their fans sweating nervously.
Player One: Harrison Burrows, Peterborough United, LB/LWB/LM
Recently named Man of the Match as Peterborough secured a place in the EFL Trophy Final, the 22-year-old youth academy graduate is yet to sign a new contract, having most recently signed a new deal in 2021.
Whilst it’s reported by some sources that the club holds a year contract extension, Burrows has been one of the club’s best players, with a 7.38 average rating on Sofascore, and 4 goals and 10 assists in 33 League Games in several positions.
With Peterborough looking likely to qualify for playoff spots at present, sitting in 5th on 59 points, falling out of those positions, or failing to secure promotion via the playoffs, could see the talented player look for a move elsewhere after a fantastic season.
Player Two: Max Stryjek, Wycombe Wanderers, GK
Yes, the same goalkeeper that made that howler against Barnsley.
Despite this, and a period of poor form as the entire Wycombe team struggled in the League, Stryjek has since returned as a vital part of the Chairboys squad, his shot-stopping securing Wycombe the other spot in the EFL Trophy final with a herculean performance, making 8 saves, of which 5 were inside the box to secure that place.
He goes into the summer without a contract, and could prompt some thought for Matt Bloomfield and the Couhig ownership. Whilst his shot-stopping has often saved Wycombe time and time again since joining from Livingston in the summer of 2022, he has also struggled to perform in a more modern, sweeping role. Bloomfield has sought for his keeper to play with the ball at his feet, which Stryjek has struggled with for much of his tenure.
It could be a big moment, as one of League One’s best shot-stoppers could be available. Just don’t ask him to pass.
Player Three: Louie Sibley, Derby County, CDM/CM
The 22-year-old academy graduate has been playing as a first-team regular for almost four seasons now but has struggled to live up to the hype created around him from a young age.
He’s worth 1.4m according to Sofascore, but now that Derby are no longer the embattled, embargoed team that they were a few seasons ago, it may suit both parties for him to leave for a chance to kick on his career.
Reportedly on a hefty wage of 8k a week, having most recently signed a new deal when Derby remained a Championship club before any embargoes, Derby may want to recuperate this money to put into different areas.
Player Four: Johnson Clarke-Harris, Peterborough United, ST
A season or two ago, Clarke-Harris would have been over every club’s radar. A championship-level striker, who at his best got 12 goals and 3 assists in the Championship’s 21/22 season.
He had an aborted £800,000 transfer to Bristol Rovers in the summer window, that failed due to paperwork not being submitted in time.
Rumours of a move in the subsequent winter window to moneybags Wrexham also failed to materialise, leaving the striker available on a free in the summer.
Whilst he’s not hit the same heights this season, he’s still got 6 goals whilst being used as a more fringe option, with the club planning for the future without him.
Many clubs would likely be interested in his signature and could form an interesting race when his contract officially expires in the summer.
Player Five: Herbie Kane, Barnsley, CDM/CM/CAM
The dynamic midfielder joined Barnsley for a reported fee of 1.25m plus a 15% sell-on clause from Liverpool and has been a vital part of Barnsley’s team as they push to return to the Championship immediately.
Kane has often ran the show for Barnsley, as he did just a few days ago against my club Wycombe Wanderers, and he’s got the stats to prove it, scoring 8 goals and making 4 assists. Impressively, he makes 80% of his passes accurately, and is no slouch defensively, making 1.2 tackles and 6.6 ball recoveries per game.
Much like Burrows, he may be one waiting on the outcome of the season to assess his options. Barnsley remain just 3 points outside of the automatic promotion spots with 2 games in hand over Derby, and 1 over Bolton, but failure to get promotion, via automatics or the playoffs, could see Kane move on to Championship pastures.