Clyne cool on contract situation

25 January 2015 11:01

Nathaniel Clyne appears in no rush to sign the contract extension offered to him by Southampton.

Since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2012, the 23-year-old has improved markedly and subsequently broken into the England set-up.

Such performances have led to understandable interest from a number of clubs, with Manchester United strongly reported to be one of the vultures circling over St Mary's.

Ronald Koeman is relaxed about Clyne's future, although suggested last week that he would like to know by April whether he will be signing the contract extension on the table - a schedule the right-back is happy to stick to.

"My contract, we're still negotiating," said Clyne, whose current deal expires in summer 2016.

"I'm negotiating with my agent and also with the club so, yeah, we'll wait until April."

Clyne's decision could be a whole lot easier then if Saints' march towards the Champions League is still on track.

While Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round defeat to his former club was disappointing, this still looks like being a season to remember given Koeman's men sit third in the Barclays Premier League after 22 matches.

It is a remarkable feat considering the doom and gloom which followed the summer talent drain from St Mary's, and Clyne believes they can continue their a top-four tilt.

"Definitely, we're optimistic," he said. "We have got a good side.

"We know that we can continue the league form, the good run of form that we're in.

"We had some tough away games, we got the wins, so we're going to start again next game against Swansea."

Source: PA