Sheffield United will push defender Kean Bryan for a decision on his new contract before Slavisa Jokanovic arrives in South Yorkshire next week, according to the Sheffield Star.
The 24-year-old centre-back has been offered fresh terms at Bramall Lane after making 13 appearances for the Blades last season - but is yet to sign that new deal with Bryan set to become a free agent in less than a week.
Although the offer is still on the table for the central defender, Slavisa Jokanovic and the club want to sort out their existing players' futures quickly, with the Serbian set to hold talks with wanted trio Aaron Ramsdale, Sander Berge and Jayden Bogle when he arrives in Sheffield United.
Bryan is another player who is attracting interest from other clubs, with Championship rivals West Brom set to offer the 24-year-old a contract according to Football Insider, and the hierarchy at Bramall Lane will not want this situation to drag on.
The club already have Jack O'Connell, Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack Robinson as options in his position, although the latter may be converted back to being a left-back if Jokanovic opts for a back four next season.
Still, those four are good players to have so there will be no panic if Bryan decides to move on - and they will have plenty of time to recruit a replacement for him and Phil Jagielka between now and the start of next season.
It is unclear what will happen if this contract situation remains the same going into next week, although the Blades could potentially withdraw this offer if talks continue to stall.
The Verdict:
After seeing the reports come out about his talks with wanted players and red lines when it comes to training, Slavisa Jokanovic is certainly taking a no-nonsense approach to this summer and this latest development is consistent with that.
The Serbian hasn't fully taken charge of the Blades just yet - and there's a lot of sorting out to do so is well within his rights to take decisive action ahead of an important next campaign.
If he can get his side ready for the season, with new signings coming in, more players departing and his philosophy implemented, they will be strong favourites for promotion.
However, preparation is key and although they want to keep Kean Bryan at the club after finally breaking through last year, the South Yorkshire side can't afford to be waiting on individuals as pre-season approaches.
Because of this, the approach they have taken in this situation is the correct one - there's no doubt about it.