Not the best time to be negotiating a new deal when the long season is affecting your form

With many players contracts up in the summer, we move into a period of brinkmanship as new deals are discussed. Aberdeen midfielder Kari Arnason has reportedly asked for a deal with £5,000 a week. This may be a bit rich for the Pittodrie club but could also be just an opening gambit on the part of the player who says he hopes to secure a compromise deal that allows him to stay at Pittodrie. The Iceland international rejected a new contract offer earlier in the year but is still willing to negotiate a deal after impressing in his first season.
 
He said: "The club is really good I've enjoyed it a lot at Aberdeen. The boys are terrific, the gaffer has done really well bringing this group of players together, there's not a bad word I could say about any of the players. I want to stay at the club and I am hoping that we can come to terms and find some middle ground, but it is up to the club. I haven't heard much lately, I'm just waiting to see what happens."
 
Aberdeen finish their season by welcoming St Mirren today and are looking to move up from ninth place in the table. The Dons have won only once in their last five league games and Arnason concedes fatigue has played a part. he went on: "All the boys are tired. You look at the players and some of them are like deflated balloons especially players who have played most of the games. You get knocks here and there as well which doesn't help. For two thirds of the season I started quite well and lived up to expectations. The last third has been not good enough and the team haven't been performing as well."