Uncertainty ... will Evan Kostopoulos and Iain Ramsay be around in Adelaide next season? Source: News Limited
Iain Fyfe is on the verge of extending his Adelaide United contract, leaving three out of five of the Reds' remaining off-contract players fighting for spots for next season.
It seems that Iain Ramsay and Zenon Caravella will be dicing for just one contract, if the pair hasn't already made plans to move to other clubs during the long A-League off-season.
After Adelaide chairman Greg Griffin confirmed it had signed youth players Awer Mabil, 17, and Jordan Elsey, 18, on professional contracts, the club has now secured 20 signatures for next season.
Given the salary cap stays in place for next season with no collective bargaining agreement beyond April 30, only three spots remain under the current 23-man squad agreement.
Griffin said new contracts won't be announced until the end of the season but it's understood Fyfe is close to agreeing to a new contract term. Griffin also confirmed striker Serginho van Dijk would not be at the club next season.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Coast | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 33 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 29 |
| 3 | Victory | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 26 |
| 4 | Western Sydney | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 23 |
| 5 | Perth | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 19 |
| 6 | Heart | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | -2 | 18 |
| 7 | Brisbane | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 17 |
| 8 | Newcastle | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | -9 | 17 |
| 9 | Wellington | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 16 |
| 10 | Sydney | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | -14 | 14 |
That leaves Caravella, Ramsay, Evan Kostopoulos and Fabian Barbiero dicing for the remaining spots if Teeboy Kamara (ill) remains on the new-season roster.
Kostopoulos and Barbiero are well positioned to earn contracts, given the pair are locals and would save the club money on expenses accommodation and transport.
"We're not in discussions until the end of the season," Griffin said.
"Apart from that, every uncontracted player had a contract put in front of them.
"Those who accepted it have re-signed and those who didn't accept it we've put off until the end of the year.
"Now we have to sit and work out how we're going to fit in two more."
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