Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn says there is "no issue" with manager Roy Keane's new contract.
He told the Mail on Sunday: "A big thing has been made of it but we always said it wasn't a big issue for us. What is the point of having a last year of a contract if you have to sign a new one before it ends!
"We always envisaged starting to talk around Christmas but because the issue is mentioned such a lot, I have just opened discussions about keeping him.
"Typical of Roy, he has been keen over the last month to find out exactly where the business is going over the next two years. The economy is in difficult times so it hasn't been easy to be clear and definite. But we are putting stuff together and, based on various things, we are showing where we can go as a business, what kind of investment the owners can put in. That is what Roy wants to satisfy himself with.
"I have met his solicitor [Michael Kennedy, also a long-time associate of Quinn's] twice. They are not asking for big lumps of money. They are asking where the club is going, not just in the next window but for the next few windows. Once Roy is happy that we're all on the same journey, even though there are more difficult times now, I think he is going to be around for a long time.
"Trust me, there is no issue with Roy. I'm a little bit disappointed I've felt I've had to start the process now. I hate making an issue out of the contract. All I can tell the fans is it will be dealt with."