GARY Rowett insists Matt Smith’s current injury will not be a factor in any decision over the striker’s future.
Smith – who will turn 32 this June – is out of contract at the end of this season.
Millwall’s top-scorer in 2019-20 is out with a broken foot and is in a race against time to play again in this campaign with just eight games left.
Smith, club captain Alex Pearce, 32, player-coach Shaun Williams, 34, Shane Ferguson – 30 in July – and goalkeeper Frank Fielding – 33 next month – are all out of contract this summer.
“I don’t Matt needs to do anything to earn a new deal or anyone else for that matter,” Rowett told NewsAtDen.
“It’s just a case that I’ve needed a little bit of time to understand what our parameters are going to look like next season, to understand what we might be likely to do in the summer and what our capabilities are.
“That’s really all it is.
“I’m going to sit down with a few of the players during the international break. As the weeks go on those situations might become a bit clearer.
“I don’t think whether someone’s fit or not fit is going to determine whether or not they stay.
“And of course it’s not always only about the club, it’s about the player as well and what they want to do.
“Some of these players might have other options at the end of the season so we have to be mindful that it’s a two-way street.
“All we can do is what we think is the right thing for the club. Sometimes it doesn’t happen as quickly as everyone might like it to do.”
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