Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that contract talks with Pablo Hernandez are ‘ongoing’, but claimed it is ‘pointless’ to talk about the situation.
It was revealed recently that the club had opened talks with the Spanish midfielder about a new deal at Elland Road, with his current contract set to end this summer.
However, there has not been any reported progress in talks so far, as Heckingbottom provided the latest update on the club’s dealings with the 32-year-old playmaker.
Heckingbottom was speaking in the pre-match press conference before the Whites’ clash with Bolton on Friday, as quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Lee Sobot on Twitter:
Heckingbottom on talks with Hernandez over new deal: "We spoke the other day about it. Discussions are ongoing, but it’s pointless for me to say anything about it until we get a definitive answer." #lufc
— Lee Sobot (@LeeSobotYEP) March 28, 2018
Hernandez has been at Leeds since January 2017 after joining on an initial loan deal from Qatari side Al-Arabi, with that deal later turned into a permanent one-year contract last summer.
The 32-year-old has scored seven goals and laid on nine assists in 36 appearances so far this season for the Whites, and has been one of their best attacking outlets all campaign.
OPINION
It must be frustrating for Leeds fans that Heckingbottom is so secretive about all goings-on at the club. It is clear that the fans want the club to hand a new deal to Hernandez, but their willingness to do so has come into questions over recent weeks. The start of talks is obviously promising, but a lack of progress is now getting worrying. It would seem silly for Leeds to let him go after a productive season, but that looks very much on the cards as talks drag on.