Wales news
Sam Warburton prefers to stay in Wales
ESPN Staff
October 10, 2013
'My only concern as a player is that it gets dragged out so long and you end up with nothing on the table' © Getty Images
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Sam Warburton, whose current contract with Cardiff runs out at the end of the season, said he is keen to sort a new deal before Christmas.

In comments that will be a relief to many in Wales who have seen a number of leading players head to England or France, Warburton said his "preferred option would be to stay at home … I have let them know I would like to stay.

"Now I cannot influence what happens. There are meetings that now go on behind closed doors and I am hoping they are trying to sort something out. I am waiting to hear now and hoping it can be sorted out this side of Christmas."

To some extent the matter is out of Warburton's hands. Cardiff have to decide whether to join the new breakaway European competition or remain in the Heineken Cup. If they ditch the existing tournament then their central funding is drastically reduced.

His agent has admitted Cardiff cannot make a formal offer while their budget is so uncertain, but Warburton said he can only wait so long.

"My only concern as a player is that it gets dragged out so long and you end up with nothing on the table. I haven't thought of a deadline yet but there will have to be a stage where there does become one.

"You cannot wait until the last day of the season because nobody will want you by then. It is a weird situation to be in and I have never been out of contract before because I have always ended up extending my contracts with the Blues."

Asked about possibly moving away, he said that he could understand why colleagues had done so but "each individual is different and has a different thought process".

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