Christian Burgess' other offers admission amid Portsmouth contract talks

The centre-back’s Blues contract expires on June 30, although the club have opened talks in the aim of extending the 28-year-old’s five-year stay at Fratton Park

Chief executive Mark Catlin revealed on Tuesday that an agreement is yet to be reached.

That was reaffirmed by Burgess himself when he was interviewed on The Athletic’s latest Going Up Going Down podcast.

The defender said he remained in talks with the club – dialogue that will also now need to include the prospect of extended terms if the current season goes beyond June because of coronavirus.

But irrespective of how the season unfolds, Burgess also confessed there was interest from elsewhere in his services.

When asked about his contract situation, the defender said: ‘It’s a little bit of the unknown.

‘There were some negotiations, I'm still in contact with the club and that sort of contact will continue. We’re not panicking just yet.

‘Nobody knows what’s going to happen, so whether the season’s going to be finished before June or whether it's going to go on longer than the current contract is, we don't know. We just have to play it by ear.

‘You know, I'm lucky as there’s an offer there, a couple of offers, and you know perhaps some people not in that boat might be a bit more worried.‘It’s probably those that I feel for.'

When speaking specifically about contracts that are due to expire and a potential extension to the season, Burgess said the sensible approach would be to retain those players until league matters came to a conclusion.

However, he insisted clubs should not be allowed to pick and choose whom would be offered deals to see them through.

Burgess added: ‘I think we have to finish the season off, if possible, just to uphold the integrity of the season.

‘There’s nine games left in our league and I've heard a lot of talking about whether that’s behind closed doors or in front of fans, I think whatever means necessary, if I'm honest.

‘It needs to be finished, and if we have to then extend a contract by a month or so I think that should be probably across the board for everybody.

‘You can't find yourselves in the situation where you are extending some players for a month who you want and then some maybe you don't extend them because they're not playing a part or anything like that.

'I think it has to be across the board and it also needs to work with other clubs and the future seasons well, with players moving on etc.

‘That might affect their next move - I think it's a sensible thing, though.’