Jem Karacan: 'Contract talks with Reading should start next week'

Reading captain Jem Karacan has claimed that he expects contract talks with the club to begin "next week".

The 26-year-old is out of contract at the Madejski Stadium in the summer and admitted last month that he was playing for his Royals future.

Karacan told Get Reading: "My contract is up in the summer and I want to earn myself a new one. I think discussions will start next week, but I just want to focus on my football. That will take care of itself.

"I'm trying to put that to the back of my head now. I'm a Reading player, I have been for the last 10 or 11 years and long may that continue. I want to [captain the club] many more times."

Karacan has recently recovered from a cruciate ligament injury that saw him sidelined for 15 months.