The length of Harry McKay’s contract is likely to be decided by how well Carlton plays in the coming month, according to SEN Chief Sports Reporter Sam Edmund.
The Blues spearhead is having a career-best season, booting 22 goals from six games so far this year.
But as two of the club’s most important players in McKay and co-captain Patrick Cripps come out of contract at the same time, Edmund reports that the 23-year-old’s discussions are likely to be shaped by Carlton’s form.
If David Teague’s side continues their recent poor run in the weeks ahead, Edmund believes McKay will opt to sign a shorter contract, while if they recover and show promise, he’s likely to push for a longer-term deal.
“Harry McKay is almost the more pressing of the two (contract discussions Carlton has to work through) in that official negotiations haven’t started yet and they’re due to sometime in the next month,” he said.
“This could be result dependant and shape the contract, not in terms of if he’ll sign or not but what I believe is to be what the length of the term will look like.
“If Carlton has a productive next four or five weeks, that will shape the Harry McKay contract and there’s rivals queuing up out the door based on what they’ve seen from him this year.
“If they have a really miserable next four or five weeks, I don’t think the contract will be as long as it might have been.
“Players look at form all the time, they want to see something tangible and they’re no different from the supporter base. They want to see something they can hold on to and commit to.”
Carlton faces a crucial game on Sunday when they take on Essendon at the MCG, as they chase their third win of the 2021 season.