Caley Thistle defender Josh Meekings’ future is in doubt after he delayed talks over a new contract until January.
Meekings’ deal expires at the end of the season, with Caley Jags manager Richie Foran this week revealing the Englishman had been offered a new two-year extension.
Talks have ground to a halt, however, after Meekings, who joined Inverness from Ipswich in 2011, said he is not interested in entering discussions until the new year, by which time clubs will be able to approach the 24-year-old about a pre-contract.
Foran remains hopeful of persuading Meekings to stay at Caledonian however.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Josh and his agent and he’s not going to sign a new contract just now.
“He just wants to concentrate on his football. It’s understandable but Josh is key to what we’re trying to do here. I’d love to keep him longer but we’ll speak again in January and hopefully we can get him to sign.
“He doesn’t want to speak again until the new year, so I don’t want to be pulling Josh in every week. I want him to concentrate on his football.”
Foran is also keen to tie up midfielder Greg Tansey on a new contract but the Irishman says he has already started the process of identifying potential replacements should the pair opt to move on.
He added: “They are all just concentrating on Inverness. Come January, what will be will be, but this is when we start now looking for replacements for next season. We have started that process already.”