AIDY BOOTHROYD believes the Cobblers will be in a ‘very good position’ should Michael Jacobs’ proposed transfer from the club be settled by a tribunal.
Jacobs has formally turned down the club’s offer of a contract and is almost certain to leave Sixfields this summer, although he would have to return to pre-season training with the club on a week-to-week deal if he has not signed elsewhere by the time that begins next month.
Derby County are the only club to publicly declare their interest in signing the 20-year-old midfielder but so far their offers have fallen short of the amount Town want for their double player of the year.
Whoever signs Jacobs will either have to agree a fee with Northampton or take their chances at a tribunal, and Boothroyd is confident that, should that happen, his club will be substantially compensated.
“If it’s not a good deal for us then we’ll go to tribunal and from the tribunals I’ve been to before, I think we’re in a very strong position,” he said.
“They can be open to interpretation and it depends who is sitting on them, who the manager is and what is being said about the player in question.
“I’m sure all those factors will work in our favour. If he stays for another year he would be worth double what we’re talking about getting for him at the moment.
“A player in a winning team attracts more attention so it is good business sense to not accept a smaller offer and wait to see what happens.”
The club have now formally confirmed details of their pre-season training camp, which will take place in Croatia from July 8-15, and consist entirely of private training sessions, with no friendly matches or public functions arranged.
The trip is to complement the side’s warm-up match programme, which currently includes home friendlies against Derby County, West Ham United and Chelsea, with a fourth game also being mooted.
“We’re still looking to add a fourth home friendly, I’ve got a few irons in fires and hopefully we can get one organised,” he said.
“It will be against a good side because it’s a good way to test yourself. You want the competition but you also want to play in games you’ve got a chance of winning.
“It isn’t about the winning at that stage but it certainly helps the confidence if you do get some victories at that stage of the season.”