‘Where’s this popped out of?’: Gutherson laughs off rumoured $1m contract claims

Clint Gutherson has laughed off rumblings he’s pushing for a rich new $1 million deal with the Eels, admitting he “hasn’t even thought of” the fact his Parramatta contract is winding up.

Parramatta’s captain has moved to pour cold water on rumours he’s agonising for a $1 million deal with his blue and gold club, after FOX Sports claimed his manager, Sam Ayoub, had stormed out of a meeting earlier this week.

Gutherson has just one year left on his $780,000 a year deal, and will be a free agent heading into the 2023 season.

The 26-year-old will soon be free to negotiate with other clubs, starting November 1. Gutherson is one of a host of Eels potentially looking to swim into other waters after next year, in a swelling group that also includes Dylan Brown, Ryan Matterson, Junior Paulo,   and recently injured rake Reed Mahoney.

On Wednesday, the Eels skipper said he would be “happy to get that money, for sure,” but firmly stated that he hadn’t heard anything on the negotiation front so far.

“To be honest, I haven’t even thought of it,” he added.

“I don’t know where all of this has popped out of,” the Eels fullback continued.

“It’s out of nowhere. I haven’t even spoken to Sam [Ayoub] about it, that’s his job around this time of year and whenever it comes around. I’m just going to leave all of that to him, and he’ll call me if he needs me I reckon.

“I’d love to get that [the reported $220k pay-rise],” he added with a laugh, “but I’ve got no clue where it came from. People are always going to talk about it all, yeah, but it’s up to Sam and the clubs. He [Sam] can go about that business.”

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Gutherson continued by stating the only thing he’s worrying about right now is Parramatta’s finals charge: “Our full focus is just on winning every game now.”

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