BURTON Albion manager Paul Peschisolido says wage demands will determine whether he keeps young prospects Andres Gurrieri and Tom Parkes at the Pirelli Stadium.
The pair are both on deals that run out before the end of January — and Peschisolido admits there are no guarantees either of them will stay with the Brewers.
Parkes is due to return to Leicester City before Albion’s next League Two game at home to Oxford United on Sunday at the end of his third spell on loan with the club in two years. And, for most of the last six months, he has been out of action after breaking an ankle in August.
Parkes, 20, returned to Albion’s side at left-back in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bradford City because of injuries to Aaron Webster and Danny Blanchett.
Peschisolido would like to keep the Mansfield-born player at the club because he also offers central defensive cover, but he made it clear any deal would have to be on Albion’s terms.
The Brewers boss said: “The problem with Tom is that we have paid his full wages to Leicester since he came to us at the start of the season, but we’ve only had four games out of him in six months.
“That’s a situation we don’t want to find ourselves in again, so the finances have to dictate whether it’s the right deal for us.
“I’ve spoken to Leicester to explain things from our point of view and I’m hoping they’ll do us some sort of a favour along the lines of a discount.
“But if they won’t agree to that, I think it will be a case of us looking elsewhere to bring someone in.”
Gurrieri is coming to the end of the three-month contract he was handed to give him the chance to prove himself after catching the eye on trial.
However, the Argentinian’s stay at the Pirelli Stadium has been part-funded by his agent, who is now looking for a better deal.
Peschisolido said: “I honestly don’t know at this stage whether Andres will be with us much longer.
“Like Tom Parkes, everything will depend on whether we can thrash out a deal that is affordable.
“I’ve spoken to Andres’ agent and the opening shots weren’t encouraging because we’re a long way apart.
“But I’ll keep talking to them in the hope we can come up with a compromise because I like Andres as a person and I like him as a player.”
Gurrieri has started only two games in his time with the Brewers, but he has also made seven appearances from the bench — most recently at Bradford, where he had a hand in the goal that salvaged a point for the Brewers.
ALBION’S top scorer, Billy Kee, could have a run out for the reserves in tonight’s Central League game against Derby County at Belper Town’s Christchurch Meadow ground, kick-off 7pm.
Kee has missed three games after picking up a groin injury against Hereford United on January 2, but returned to training last week.
ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman has been given permission to speak to Rochdale about the vacant job at Spotland.
Rochdale have been without a manager since sacking Steve Eyre in December.
Stanley chief executive Rod Heys said "It must be stressed that this is a very early point of a process." Coleman and his assistant manager Jimmy Bell are under contract at Accrington until the summer of 2015.
