Mike van der Hoorn insists his future at Swansea City is still not settled – despite the club announcing at the weekend they had added a year to his current deal.
The Swans captain plans to speak to manager Graham Potter about his future this week as one of a string of players who will be linked with moves elsewhere.
Van der Hoorn has been the most consistent player in the squad this season and is the only player to have started every league game.
But talks over a new contract have not been resolved and the 26-year-old has revealed the club’s decision to activate an option for a one-year extension was done purely to protect them from his potential loss on a free transfer this summer.
“It’s just one more year for the club so I’m not going as a free agent,” revealed van der Hoorn.
“Everybody can move in the summer. I’ve not spoken to Graham yet about next year. I think maybe this week I will knock on his door and have a chat with him.
“This result against Hull was disappointing, but we came close this year when it wasn’t expected. It’s only going to get better, I think.
“But Swansea are in a position where they sometimes can’t hold their players because of the financial position.”
Van der Hoorn is one of the few surviving regular starters from the team relegated from the Premier League last season.
He brings experience and solidity to an otherwise fragile defence and in away games he has often appeared to be mounting a one-man crusade when the team has been under severe defensive pressure.
But with the club insisting it needs to slash costs to pay for the financial mistakes of the past, van der Hoorn could be part of another fire sale this summer similar to the one that took place in January.
The former Ajax player may be sold to the highest bidder along with Daniel James, top scorer Oli McBurnie, Wales full-back Connor Roberts, Bersant Celina and Leroy Fer.
Despite the uncertainty, however, van der Hoorn insists he would be keen to stay at the Liberty Stadium if a suitable deal was agreed.
“Yes of course. The potential is there, it’s up to the club to decide what the best way is to get promoted.
“If everybody knows their role and style of play then it’s easy for the players in the team.
“Graham was looking for a style and he had an idea. He wants ball possession and he just needed to find the right way. I think he has his style now and he only wants to improve on that.”
Potter has also described van der Hoorn’s contract extension as a “formality” but left open the question as to whether the centre-back fulfils his ambition of a return to the Premier League with the Swans or elsewhere.
“It’s a big boost for us and an obvious one, I think,” said Potter.
“To be fair it was just a formality but while it is not done there are always questions.
“He has been great for us. He has developed as a leader, he has developed as a person and has developed as a footballer. He is one of the best Championship centre-backs and the challenge for him is to be a Premier League centre-back and we hopefully will help him get there.
“We have a lot of work to do in the summer, but we’ve got the nucleus of a good group there, a lot of good lads with a good spirit that are learning and just starting out. So, I look forward to trying to shape this squad and improve.”