Any club is in a weak position when a player enters the final few months of their contract, so it’s always good business for them to have an automatic option to extend the deal.
A report from Sport Witness has indicated that West Ham currently have that option with defender Fabian Balbuena, so it will be interesting to see what they do here.
The 29 year old was a regular feature at the start of the season but he’s found himself out of the team lately, so that may suggest he’s not seen as a vital option just now.
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The report claims that the defender wants to sit down with the club to sort out a new contract, but it also looks like The Hammers simply have the option to extend it for 12 months so they are in the driving seat here.
You have to think that the extension will simply be on the same terms so that could also come into things if the club want him to take a pay cut, while there could also be a compromise on the salary if they are able to offer him a longer term deal.
It’s suggested that he turned down a lucrative move in January and it’s clear that he wants to stay at the club, so it’s worth getting him tied to a new deal as long as the numbers are suitable.