‘It has gone on longer than you would hope’ – Dons boss on contract talks with defender

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson says that contract talks with Paul Osew have taken longer than he would have hoped.

The 21-year-old, who can feature in either full-back role, became a free agent at the end of June.

Osew has featured 69 times for the Dons in all competitions since progressing through the club’s academy in 2019.

Osew was at Plough Lane this afternoon for Wimbledon’s final pre-season game –  a 0-0 draw against League One side Oxford United – ahead of the start of their League Two campaign.

Zach Robinson signed a new two-year deal at Plough Lane in midweek, leaving Osew as the only player who has been offered a contract by the club but has yet to put pen to paper.

“Paul has been injured, so he has not been training with the group,” Jackson told the South London Press. “His recovery is going well, so, hopefully, he will be available in not too long. But he needs to sign the contract before that can happen.

“We have made him what we feel to be a good offer, but he is mulling it over. We want him to commit. He is a player who is highly thought of, and he brings us something different as well that we haven’t necessarily got in the squad. Hopefully we can get a positive outcome to that [situation] soon.”

When asked if he was disappointed by the length of time it has taken to find out whether Osew is going to commit his future to the Dons, Jackson said: “It has gone on longer than you would hope. I understand the player’s point of view, and I understand the club’s point of view, but we feel that it is a good offer we have made to Paul.

“We just hope that he commits his future to the football club.”

Luke McCormick, who has been subject to interest from his former side Bristol Rovers earlier in the summer window, was absent from the final pre-season test.

“He just got a little knock in the week. On Thursday in training, he just took a little knock to his ankle,” Jackson added. “It’s nothing serious. We hoped he might be available, but he was a bit sore this morning, so we didn’t want to take any chances.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD