BOSS Lee Bradbury is determined to agree terms with all of Cherries’ out-of-contract stars – but he will have to wait for decisions from Danny Hollands and Stevie Lovell.
The Cherries manager yesterday offered new deals to the six players whose contracts expire this summer – Hollands, Lovell, Ben Williamson, Mathieu Baudry, Dan Thomas and Tim Stephenson.
Homegrown defender Stephenson, plagued by injury since joining the professional ranks, has finalised a six-month deal and goalkeeper Thomas took the opportunity to extend his stay by a further season.
Williamson and Baudry, who were Bradbury’s first signings in management, are expected to follow suit by putting the finishing touches to one-year contracts early next week.
But first team stars Hollands and Lovell, both key performers in Wednesday’s play-off semi-final defeat at Huddersfield, have yet to make up their minds.
Former Cherries skipper Hollands, who has already expressed a desire to remain at Dean Court, has been offered a new two-year deal.
Experienced striker Lovell, a two-goal hero at the Galpharm Stadium, has been given the chance to pen a 12-month contract, while Cherries would retain an option to extend that deal by a further season.
Bradbury and his assistant Steve Fletcher spent yesterday holding individual end-of-season meetings with every member of the Cherries squad at Dean Court.
Speaking to the Echo after a day of talks, Bradbury confirmed that he was keen to retain the services of his entire squad.
He also revealed he expected to hear from Hollands and Lovell imminently as he aims to tie down the influential duo.
Discussing the out-of-contract players, the Cherries manager said: “I want them to get signed up so they can go and enjoy their summer – they have worked hard for it.
“Then they would know where they are at and I would know they are signed and that I haven’t got to replace them.
“I want to keep everyone together. We have had a successful season with what we have got and that is why I have rewarded them and offered them all contracts. They have all been brilliant this season.”
Meanwhile, rookie trio Paddy Hester, Dan Strugnell and Alex Parsons continued the success of the club’s youth set-up by successfully graduating from the under-18s. They have all agreed one-year deals to begin their professional careers.
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