Shrewsbury Town's deals waiting on EFL call

The EFL met on Wednesday to further discuss and ratify the proposed framework to see out the 2019/20 season either on the pitch or by termination via a vote.

The deadline for EFL clubs to submit ‘retain lists’ was delayed by more than a month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially clubs had to outline the futures of those players out of contract by mid-May, but league bosses put that date back to June 23, it is understood.

Town are waiting on confirmation from the league on the conclusion of the season before rubber-stamping their decision on the futures of senior players, whose Montgomery Waters Meadow terms will expire on June 30.

There are more than half-a-dozen members of Sam Ricketts’ first-team squad who are out of contract.

Midfielder Josh Laurent and defender Omar Beckles are the regular first-team players whose futures are uncertain. They are joined by goalkeeper duo Joe Murphy and Harry Burgoyne.

Brad Walker and Romain Vincelot are also out of contract, as are academy graduates Ryan Barnett, Cameron Gregory and Lifumpa Mwandwe.

It is likely that Ricketts has had contact with those players but Town are waiting to discover if, as expected, the league season will be voted to a close, before finalising the calls.

The club’s second-year scholars have been spoken to with decisions made on who, if any, are to be offered their first professional terms.

One youngster, who has been on the fringes of the first-team squad, who has confirmed his Shrewsbury exit is 18-year-old goalkeeper Sam Agius.

The former Derby keeper, of Maltese descent, was substitute shot-stopper for Ricketts’ side in the remarkable FA Cup win at Stoke in January 2019.