Cardiff duo agree new contracts

Last updated : 25 September 2010 By BBC Sport

And Bluebirds boss Jones has started contract talks with Jay Bothroyd, Adam Matthews and midfield trio Stephen McPhail, Gavin Rae and Chris Burke.

Whittingham, Championship's top-scorer last season, has courted interest from Championship rivals Nottingham Forest.

"Darcy has agreed and it is just a case of getting him in to sign the paper and the same goes with Whitts," Jones said.

Whittingham, Blake, striker Bothroyd and full-back Matthews are out of contract at the Championship club at the end of this season.

Cardiff lost Wales international midfielder Joe Ledley on a free transfer in the summer after his deal at the Welsh club expired.

Scottish full-back Kevin McNaughton, whose contract was due to expire next summer, has already agreed a new three-year deal at the Cardiff City Stadium.

And Whittingham, who scored 25 goals last season, is set to do likewise as he and Wales international Blake are close to finally sealing their new Cardiff deals.

Jones added: "We're in negotiations with everyone else - and with some of them, we have been in talks for many weeks.

"My priority was to get players in then chip away at the others."

Jones was hindered by a transfer embargo imposed on the Championship club for the best part of the summer because of a delay in paying debts, including £1.3m owed to HM Revenue and Customs.

But once that sanction was lifted, last season's defeated Championship play-off finalists signed Craig Bellamy, Jason Koumas, Seyi Olofinjana and Andy Keogh on season-long loan deals.

Now Jones is concentrating on securing the Cardiff players he wants to keep.

The experienced manager is taking a more hands-on role in contract negotiations with new chief executive Gethin Jenkins after the departure of former chairman and chief executive Peter Ridsdale left in the summer.

"It hasn't been easy since the change as I have been more involved in negotiations with Gethin," said Jones.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport