AFC Wimbledon should ignore fallback option and arm Johnnie Jackson with long-term weapon | OneFootball

Isaac Ogundere is one of AFC Wimbledon's top prospects, and he should be rewarded for his performances with a new long term deal at the club

Through AFC Wimbledon's stellar season so far, Isaac Ogundere has shown himself to be a great prospect and a deserved first team player in the Dons' talented squad.

However, the 22-year-old's deal ends at the completion of this campaign, and while he does have the option to have his current deal extended by another year, it might be worth offering him a new deal altogether.

He has more than shown his worth this season, and given his young age, is certainly a player that can give Johnnie Jackson some great foundations for the future.

AFC Wimbledon should reward Isaac Ogundere with a new deal

According to information from Transfermarkt, Ogundere, or as he's more affectionately known, Ogs, has a deal with Wimbledon that ends at the end of this season.

This is likely the deal that he signed when turning professional at the club following his graduation from the Dons' academy, and while it does include the option to extend into a fifth year with the side, there is a growing feeling that Ogs is strongly part of Wimbledon's future and should be rewarded for just how brilliant his breakthrough has been.

He started appearing in the first team during Johnnie Jackson's first year in charge, competing with fellow academy graduate Hus Biler for the right-back spot. However, as seasons have gone on, and with a few loan spells to boot, he has shown to be an excellent central defender.

And this has translated into often playing as the right-sided centre-back in Johnnie Jackson's 3-4-2-1 system in the present day, utilising his brilliant defensive nous as well as excellent ball-playing abilities that give him confidence to play out from the back or help with attacks in the final third.

In all, at the time of writing, he has amassed nearly 80 appearances for the South West London side, and given the calibre of player that the Dons have been targeting in the recent transfer windows, it shows that Ogs is more than capable of being part of a longer-term project at AFC Wimbledon, and should, instead of being rewarded with a measly year-long extension being triggered, be given a brand-new deal to show Jackson's current faith in him.

Ogundere has good current ability, but an even high potential and ceiling

Currently, in Johnnie Jackson's AFC Wimbledon squad, the former Charlton Athletic boss has the talents of Joe Lewis, Riley Harbottle, Ryan Johnson, John-Joe O'Toole and Sam Hutchinson all to call upon at centre-back.

So, for Ogundere, who began his footballing journey at Brentford, to be competing and actually beating some of those names, to be on the teamsheet consistently shows that his current ability is at a very good level already, and that he has potential, if coached and played well, to play far above the level he is at right now.

He has already shown leadership skills too when captaining Wimbledon in an EFL trophy a few years back during his first breakthrough season, and was captain of his youth side when in the academy, so there is potential there too to become a Dons skipper in years to come.

If given the platform, in the shape of a new contract and consistent starts in the first team, there is little to no doubt that he would become the next player to graduate through the club and move on to bigger and better things, like Jack Currie.

So, if Jackson wants to avoid letting that potential go, his time to act is now. The Dons have their next defensive lynchpin and, given the current promise that is surrounding the club with the potential to play League One football next season, a contract offer for somebody who could become the foundation for something special may just be best possible weapon that AFC Wimbledon can arm Jackson with.