WANDERERS will be able to pick and choose which players can be offered extended contracts this summer if the EFL pushes on with its plan to complete the League One season.

Guidance issued by the league to clubs confirms that there will be no blanket agreement to extend all playing contracts, which are currently due to expire at the end of June.

Bolton have 14 professional contracts which run out at the end of next month – Josh Emmanuel, Joe Bunney, Jason Lowe, Jack Hobbs, Will Buckley, Luke Murphy, Daryl Murphy, Chris O’Grady, Ali Crawford, Jacob Mellis, Remi Matthews, Joe Dodoo, Connor Hall and Yoan Zouma.

They must also make decisions on scholars, including Ronan Darcy, and their five loan players – Toto Nsiala, Ethan Hamilton, Kean Bryan, Brandon Fleming and Anthony Georgiou.

The EFL is advising clubs to decide on each player’s future by June 23. They must either offer a new contract, an extension to their current deal which expires at midnight on the final day of the season, or inform the player they are free to join a new club from July 1.

It is understood that players who have agreed terms with another club will not be eligible until the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

Wanderers - and other clubs - had been concerned that a blanket agreement to extend all contracts to the end of the season would leave them with an impractical wage bill whilst playing behind closed doors.

According to experienced Preston North End advisor, Peter Ridsdale, clubs now have the licence to tailor contracts to their own individual needs – which could reduce some of the financial stresses involved.

“The EFL have sent out advice on how contracts can be dealt with,” he told the Lancashire Post. “They are saying extend contracts by mutual consent if you so wish.

“That could be for a month or on a week-by-week basis.

“If players don’t want to extend, you can pay them the usual severance money and they will leave.

“It is sensible for that to be done on a club by club basis.”

Wanderers have five played contracted for next season and beyond - Muhammadu Faal, Dennis Politic, Liam Edwards, Harry Brockbank and Ryan Delaney.

There had been talk within the game over whether clubs could enforce so-called ‘solidarity clauses’ in players’ contracts to ensure they play through July These clauses state that if an out-of-contract player has not secured a move elsewhere by July 31, he is paid a month’s salary for that period by the club he has left.

It is understood, however, that legal issues could arise if clubs were to try and impose such a measure and so that scenario now looks unlikely.