Sheffield United defender Chris Basham has revealed that there is a clause to trigger an extension in his contract at Bramall Lane, if he plays a certain amount of games this season.

Basham's current deal with the Blades is set to expire at the end of this season, which will be his eighth consecutive campaign with the club.

During that time, Basham has helped the club rise from League One to the Premier League, before dropping back into the Championship after relegation at the end of last season.

Now however, it seems that the 33-year-old could still tale his time with Bramall Lane into a ninth season, if he makes enough appearances this time around.

Speaking about his contract situation at the club, Basham was quoted by The Sheffield Star as saying: “I think with my contract, I’ve got a ‘plus one’.

“If I make a set amount of appearances, that gets activated. If those don’t happen it’s up to the club if they want to carry forward or if they want to see the end of me." But having started just four of Sheffield United's 13 league games since the start of this season, it seems Basham is uncertain whether he will remain at the club next season, as he added: “If I’m not playing then I can't see the club wanting me. "It’s down to the club and the manager so, depending on what happens, I’ll sit down and talk about it with my agent and whoever looks after me in January and February.”
In total, Basham has made 326 appearances in all competitions for Sheffield United since joining from Blackpool in 2014, scoring 14 goals. The Verdict This will definitely be something to keep an eye on at Sheffield United over the course of the season. Basham is certainly a popular player at the club, and one who has done plenty for the Blades during his time there. As a result, it probably wouldn't be a disappointment for many if he was to remain for next season, were he to trigger that clause in his contract. However, at 33-years-old, Basham is now entering the latter stages of his career, meaning there could be less guarantee of game time at this level, meaning he may want to assess his options regardless of his contract situation, if there is a chance he could get more opportunities elsewhere.