Paul Lambert has again insisted he wants to keep Luke Chambers at Ipswich Town but admitted the situation is out of his hands amid the defender’s link to MLS side Chicago Fire.
Chambers is out of contract at the end of this season, with an option allowing his contract to be extended for a further 12 months, and the captain is talking to owner Marcus Evans regarding his future.
The 33-year-old was linked with a move to the United States earlier this week and, while Lambert is unsure of how much truth there is in the report, he insisted he has made his feelings clear to both Evans and Chambers.
When asked if he wants to keep the defender for next season, Lambert said: “I’ve said that all along, it’s whether something can be done and that’s out of my hands.
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“He’s been great for me and he’s been a great captain.”
Lambert continued: “Luke has the option doesn’t he and Luke and Marcus are talking, which is ongoing.
“He’s got the option but regarding the (Chicago Fire) story I never knew about that until yesterday. Is it true? I don’t know but you can’t stop speculation.
“It’s something I don’t go into until someone picks up the phone or comes from the top and says ‘this is happening’ or ‘that is happening’.
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“I know Luke and Marcus had a good conversation and I’ve left it with those two.
“Marcus knew (what I think) because I spoke to Luke a few weeks ago and he knows my thoughts on it all. He’s been great, he really has, as a person and a footballer.
“He wants his future sorted out with everybody else’s. I know Marcus and Luke have spoken.”
Speaking recently, Chambers said: “At the end of the day I am the one who has to live with being captain, if we drop down to a league we’ve not been in for 60 years.
“People will have their opinions on me and that’s football, people have opinions, but I’ll never lie down and I’ll continue to give everything like I have for this club over the last seven years.
“This is where I want to be, I want to be part of it, and if the worst comes to the worst I want to be together with those guys up there (the fans) that showed what a tremendous football club this is.
“I want to be a part of it, I think they want me to be a part of it but we need to start now. If we go down we have to go down with momentum so we can hit the ground running next year.”
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