Notts County can use Jodi Jones evidence to secure fresh player agreement: View | OneFootball

With Jodi Jones extended his deal at Meadow Lane last week, Dan Crowley should be the next to win a new deal.

Jodi Jones’ decision to sign a new contract last week was a huge boost for Notts County and their promotion push.

The 26-year-old put pen to paper on a deal which will keep him at Meadow Lane until June 2027 in what is a huge statement of intent from The Magpies.

Retaining the services of someone who is undoubtedly one of the best players in League Two will certainly re-enforce the message that Notts are a club who are looking to be progressive and keep themselves moving forward.

However, with the potential to lose Dan Crowley for free next summer currently looming large, it’s important that Notts use Jones’ new deal as an example and incentive to get their classy midfielder to also extend his stay in Nottingham.

It’s fair to say that Jones’ new contract is hugely important news for Notts both this season and in future years.

Retaining the services of the reigning EFL and PFA League Two Player of The Year was always going to be an impressive piece of business, but tying down a player of that quality for another two and a half years really highlights the direction Notts are going in as a club.

With Jones’ contract expiring at the end of the season, there were fears among Notts fans that they would lose another star on a free transfer, just as they did with Kyle Wootton and Ruben Rodrigues in previous years.

With this new deal though, Notts have ensured that the only way Jones leaves Meadow Lane will be if a club tables a very enticing bid for the winger.

Six goals and a record-breaking 24 assists in League Two last season saw Jones hit the national media and the fact that a player who really could be playing in a higher division wants to commit to Notts on a long-term basis is testament to how far the club has come under the reign of Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz.

Another aspect of the deal that could prove to be beneficial to Notts is that it will likely make them a more attractive proposition as a club for other quality players at the level who are thinking about a move.

Good players want to play with other good players and when Notts can show they are capable of keeping their star men, it sends a message out across the football pyramid that Notts are a club who are going in the right direction.

With that said, Notts are currently facing the exact same situation with another of their stars in Dan Crowley.

Crowley’s deal expires at the end of this season and, after 25 goal contributions in 46 games last season, Notts will be keen to ensure they don’t lose one of their main creators for free.

The former Arsenal academy man has started this season in similarly outstanding form. He already has three goals and three assists from five games and is currently the best performing player in League Two according to WhoScored (who have also given him a perfect 10 match rating twice so far this season).

In the absence of Macaulay Langstaff, Crowley looks like becoming even more of a key figure for Stuart Maynard’s side this season and the 27-year-old has already held the responsibility of captaining the side at times during Matty Palmer’s gradual return from injury.

If Notts want to keep Crowley beyond the end of this season, it’s important they use Jones’ extension as an example.

Assuming Notts can offer a reasonable financial package to Crowley, the fact that Jones wants to stay at Meadow Lane should be used as leverage.

With players like Jones in the side, Notts will never struggle to create chances and get on the front foot and that must be used to convince Crowley that Notts will continue to create the type of environment where creative players like him can flourish.

In addition, while Notts obviously don’t want him to sign a new deal and then leave within a year or two, with the likes of Langstaff, Rodrigues and Wootton all leaving for clubs higher up the pyramid, players like Crowley will know that if they perform and attract interest from other clubs, Notts won’t stand in their way of progressing their careers if the deal is right.

After interest from MK Dons in the final weeks of the summer transfer window, interest in Crowley will likely heighten again in January, as clubs try and snatch the midfielder for a cut-price fee, making it extremely important that Notts get his contract situation sorted within the next few months.