NEIL Harris said he has spoken to Shaun Hutchinson regarding his contract situation as he paid tribute to the “hugely important” defender.
Hutchinson’s deal expires at the end of the season and it is not yet clear what his future may hold.
The 33-year-old, who is club captain and Millwall’s longest-serving player, has only featured twelve times this season largely due to injury issues. He has made 255 appearances for the club since signing from Fulham in 2016.
Tom Bradshaw, Ryan Leonard and George Saville have all recently seen their contracts extended after appearance-based clauses were triggered in their deal.
Asked about the club captain, Harris said: “I’m fully aware of Hutch’s contract situation, he’s out of contract in the summer and I’ve spoken to him about it. I’ve had initial conversations with Shaun and he knows my thoughts and I know where he’s at as well. We’ll be speaking every week without fail and it’s a big summer for Shaun and his family and for us at the club.
“He’s a leader by example, a very good organiser and a great link for the football club between the changing room and the other departments. He’s been hugely important for me in the last few weeks but also for the club over seven or eight seasons now.
“He’s been a hugely consistent centre-half in the Championship but also he’s an unbelievable professional and man as well. He’s not featured a lot for me but you can’t underestimate the importance of his impact on a day-to-day basis at the training ground.
“He’s a player I’ve been privileged to work with for numerous years.”