Fulham will hold fire until the summer on offering a quartet of players new contracts.

That's because Whites have extension options on captain Scott Parker, midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe, keeper Jesse Joronen and striker Matt Smith they can trigger in July if they want.

It means the club can forgo negotiations now, knowing the contract clauses prevents them signing pre-contracts anywhere else, even if they are in the last year of their deals.

Fulham are known to want to keep Parker in some capacity: ‘a coach in boots’ was how head coach Slavisa Jokanovic put it.

(Image: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

But Smith may get sent on loan this month, while Tunnicliffe has made only 10 appearances this term - the last as an eight-minute sub in the 2-2 draw with Norwich in October.