Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Gills start new talks
Gillingham
Negotiations are under way with four of Gillingham’s senior players.
Max Ehmer, Brandon Hanlan, Mika Mandron and Regan Charles-cook are all in talks over extending their stay with the Gills.
Their contracts are due to expire at the end of this month. Manager Steve Evans met with each of them on Monday to outline his plans for the 2020/21 season and will now leave the contract talks to take place with their representatives and the club.
Evans said: “We haven’t got a date yet to restart but there are already formal offers out there and talking around it. The process started on Monday. “I had a brilliant meeting with the chairman on Friday and for part of Saturday and we went through some key bits. We then had them in to talk individually. “The lads understand via their own eyes and ears and from speaking to other players and what other clubs are saying. “We would be very foolish to throw sums of money about when we don’t know when we are starting but the conversations around packages and agreements are starting and that will progress quite quickly.” Youngster Henry Woods is also likely to receive a contract offer but the club are currently focussing on their four senior players. Woods is likely to be sent out on loan next season to further his progression. The Gills are still awaiting a potential start date for 2020/21 but many managers are working on the assumption it will be midseptember.
Evans plans to have an extended pre-season, potentially for eight weeks instead of six. Meanwhile the Gills boss is talking with potential new recruits to come in next season. He’s looking at a squad of around 20 players.
“I am already talking to perspective players,” he said. “Not to the extent where we are talking about deals but they are aware that I would like to meet up with them in the next week or two.
“I need to be telling players we like them, that we would love to bring them to Priestfield. There is not one person I have phoned up who doesn’t want to meet us.” Former loan players Jordan Roberts (Ipswich Town) and
Jordan Graham (Wolves) are both free agents and Evans has confirmed he would like them both onboard next season. “Sometimes it is about affordability,” he said. “We got significant help from Ipswich Town and Wolves (to get the deals agreed) but I have spoken to both, they loved every minute of it.
“They are certainly players we would absolutely welcome working with again.”
■ Former Gillingham boss Ronnie Jepson has followed Neil Warnock to Middlesbrough.
Boro are 21st in the Championship and sacked their manager Jonathan Woodgate after losing 3-0 at home to Swansea City on Saturday. Warnock has been out of work since leaving Cardiff City where Jepson has worked as a first team coach. Jepson – who managed the Gills between 20052007 – had been at Northampton Town of late, joining them as a development coach.
He was on the bench as the Cobblers beat Cheltenham on Monday to reach the League 2 play-off final at Wembley.