THE future of injured Newport County AFC captain Joss Labadie will be settled this week, according to manager Michael Flynn.

The skipper’s current contract expires on Saturday and he has yet to agree a new deal to stay at Rodney Parade.

Labadie is currently recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that is expected to keep him out until at least October and possibly until the end of the year.

He has been offered a new contract, believed to be a two-year extension, and he will meet with Flynn today ahead of the start of pre-season training on Thursday.

“I’ll sit down with Joss on Monday,” said the Exiles boss.

“He’s been getting treatment at St George’s Park but he’s back now and we’ll have an update one way or the other. We’ll know this week.

“His contract is up at the end of June but he’ll have another month’s pay if he turns down the deal due to the settlement payments that the players get these days.

“We need to know because we haven’t got the biggest budget in the world,” added Flynn, who signed four players last week – defender Fraser Franks, midfielder Charlie Cooper, winger Keanu Marsh-Brown and striker Jamille Matt.

“We’ve got what we’ve got and it’s not something I’m crying over.

“Every manager in the country would probably want more but it is what it is and we’ve just got to make sure it’s spent right.”

County have been in contract talks with Labadie since the end of 2017 and turned down at least one bid for the midfielder in January.

Speaking after his outstanding display against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup fourth round, the captain said: “I’m here until Newport tell me otherwise.

“I’m enjoying my football. It’s probably the best football I’ve played for a number of years.

“Ever since last season we’ve kept the momentum going and we’re putting Newport on the map. It’s an exciting thing to be a part of.”

Flynn also hopes to secure the future of James Bittner as goalkeeping coach this week and he revealed that he is intending to sign a new stopper to challenge number one Joe Day.

“We’ll know about James this week as well,” he said. “We’ve had a chat and hopefully that will be all done and dusted.

“A number two goalkeeper is on my shopping list. I want someone to push the number one.

“There’s no point having someone who will just sit on the bench, otherwise we might as well just keep James [as a back-up].

“I don’t mean that disrespectfully to James but I think he’s more valuable to the club as a coach now.

“In the worst-case scenario he might still be able to play a few games as well but he’s a great lad and somebody that I want to keep.”