No substansive talks on a new deal for Cambridge United midfielder

Cambridge United midfield George Maris admits that there have not been substantive talks with the club over a new contract.

Everyone knows that midfielder is out of contract this summer. Many managers will be monitoring the situation closely with a view to signing the talented 22-year-old.

The player signed a two-year extension to his deal in April 2017 but is now entering the final six months of that deal and is yet to trash out a one with the U’s.

The player, who nearly joined Rotherham in the summer, has admitted that he is more concerned with helping the club pull away from the League Two drop zone than talking about his contract situation right now but did reveal that no in depth talks have taken place.

“We have had talks this season,” he told the Cambridge News.

“Not massive talks, I’ve wanted to focus on my football and the club has been the main thing.

“We don’t want to talk about individuals when we’ve been inside the bottom two and now we’re just outside the bottom two.

“Focusing on the club as a whole has been more important, with me trying to help that.

“There’s not been much talk about it, but we’ll see what happens between now and the end of the season, but I’m sure something will happen.”

He continued: “I knew I was out of contract at the start of the season, so I knew I only had a year left.

“I spoke to my agent, we sat down and all I want to do is play football.

“I don’t want to get involved in the contract side and the transfer side of things. I just want to play football for Cambridge and keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully keep scoring goals and see what happens.”

Maris has excelled during his time at the Abbey although this season has seen both the player and team struggle more than they did in 2017-18.

Moving to the club has seen Maris become one of the most talented midfielders in the division scoring 10 times in the league last season and the former Barnsley man revealed that joining the U’s has been his best career move to date.

“When I left Barnsley I was in a stage in my life that I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know where to go and Cambridge has been the best thing for me,” he said.

“I couldn’t have wished for my time here to go any better so far. I’ve played 100 games now.

“When I first joined I never thought in two-and-a-half years time that I would have done that.

“I was kind of at a stage when I was in and out and on loan in the Conference.

“I just needed a club that I could get my head down and play a lot of games and that’s been brilliant for me. It’s been by far the best decision of my career to sign for Cambridge when I did.”

Cambridge picked up a massive three points on the road at Notts County last weekend but are far from safe. Just five points separate them from second bottom Macclesfield and securing their place in League Two for next season could be a massive factor in Maris deciding to stay.

Cambridge have won three and lost three in the league since Colin Calderwood took charge and they face Northampton at home next before traveling to Exeter and Cheltenham.

How good is George Maris?

This season has seen Cambridge struggle but even so George Maris has been one of the club’s better players.

He has scored six times making him the U’s second top scorer and registered three assists.

He has also been their second most creative player making 21 chances for his team-mates, a fair way behind the 36 chances created by Jevani Brown.

He has shown that he is not afraid to get a shot away, leading the U’s with 29 shots on target while also leading the team in accurate passes with 1,223.

D3D4’s view

Cambridge fans may not like me saying this but Maris is good enough to make the step up to a League One club next season and there will be no shortage of suitors for the 22-year-old’s signature.

His ability and flair makes him well suited to a team like Charlton Athletic who play an attractive style and, if a takeover can be completed, have big ambitions.

A choice slightly out of left-field would be a club like Shrewsbury Town should they be able to steer themselves away from trouble this season. Salop also tend to play an easy-on-the-eye style although Sam Ricketts has been taking a more direct approach in the last few games. They also have plenty of depth in midfield making it a more unlikely destination.

I would love to see him at Oxford United but given the uncertainty at the club it is unlikely that he would choose to make the move to Oxfordshire.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football