Watford have yet to open contract negotiations with a number of first-team squad members whose current deals run out this summer.

John Eustace, Jon Harley and Will Hoskins are just three of the current squad whose contracts run out at the end of the season.

When asked whether negotiations have started yet, Watford manager Malky Mackay replied: "Not quite yet, we will be looking at that pretty soon, as to people's contracts, but it has not started yet."

Watford captain Jay DeMerit's current deal expires in the summer but the USA international has been openly honest by stating he does not wish to start negotiations until after this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

Second choice keeper Richard Lee's contract is also up due to the club only offering the Academy graduate a one-year deal last summer when the 27-year-old had hoped for a two-year deal.

There are a host of young professionals whose current contracts expire at the end of this season. Dale Bennett, Jonathan North, Billy Gibson, Liam Henderson and Lewis Young are all out of contract this year.

Harley, 30, and Hoskins, 23, have mainly been used from the bench this season and as the pair are two of the club’s higher earners, their futures are uncertain as Watford have made no secret of their desire to reduce the club’s wage bill.

A number of players arrived at Vicarage Road either when the Hornets were in the Premier League or in their first season in the Championship, when the club maintained a high wage bill in a bid to return at the first time of asking.

But Mackay claims Watford will not be making any "sweeping statements" over whether these players will have to take a pay cut.

He said: "Everyone is on their own individual merits in terms of having discussions with them.

"I think you have to do it like that. Everyone is in a different situation and in a different point in their career and will have different attractions and options.

"There is no sweeping statement where I would say there will be any across-the-board way we will treat everyone."