Outgoing Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray says he is hopeful that defender Ryan Nyambe and Darragh Lenihan will sign new contracts with the club.
Mowbray is set to leave Ewood Park when his contract with the club expires this summer, the same time that Nyambe and Lenihan see their own current deals with Rovers come to an end.
However, recent reports have revealed that Nyambe's representatives have reopened negotiations with Blackburn about a new contract, while talks are still ongoing with Lenihan.
Now it seems that even though he may not be at Ewood Park next season, Mowbray is hopeful that both Nyambe and Lenihan will be.
Speaking about the possibility of the pair extending their contracts with Blackburn, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I hope they both stay at this football club, but they’ll have opportunities and suitors elsewhere.
“I’m not sure, maybe they’ll wait and see who the next coach is? But I hope they continue the journey.
“Lenihan has been amazing this season, I think he’s really grown into the captaincy and had fantastic leadership and performances this season.
“I think Ryan has wonderful attributes, big areas where he has to develop and grow, but amazing attributes as well.”
Discussing the situation regarding Nyambe in particular, the Blackburn boss added: “Is he leaving, is he going? He’s out of contract. I feel for him, I love him to bits, I’ve been with him for over five years, he’s like a son.
“What are you doing? I feel as though he needs to stay, and grow, and learn, be better at bending that ball down the line, at chipping it to the back stick, getting to the byline and cutting it back for the striker to tap it in, I just hope he’s making the right choices."
Both Nyambe and Lenihan are graduates of Blackburn's academy, and recently past the landmarks of 200 and 250 appearances in all competitions for the club respectively.
Blackburn are now unable to claim a Championship play-off this season, and their campaign away at Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.
The Verdict
It would be a major boost for Blackburn if Nymabe and Lenihan were to agree new contracts with the club.
Both players have been absolutely crucial for the club this season, Lenihan with his leadership as captain, and Nyambe with the reliability he offers on the right-hand side of defence.
Indeed, given it had looked for quite some time as though the pair would be on the move this summer, it would feel like something of a show of strength and intent to now agree news deals with the pair.
It is also good to see that Mowbray has this mindset around these deals, showing he still cares about the club and players, even if his own time at Blackburn is coming to an end.