WALES boss Robert Page wants Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey’s futures sorted so they get a full pre-season ahead of the World Cup.
Page’s Dragons booked a place in Qatar this month – the nation’s first finals in 64 years.
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But there are up to 11 stars, including Bale and Ramsey, in contention to play at November’s finals who face a crunch time with futures up in the air in a bid to play more football.
Wales boss Page said: “The lads know where they are at but I want my players to have a good pre-season.
“I’m not overly concerned about it but in an ideal world we want our players playing. Of course we do.
“For us to go to the next level and sustain it then it’s important that we need the majority of our players playing week in, week out.”
Bale, 32, leaves Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of this month and the Wales captain has been linked heavily with hometown club Cardiff.
But there are several more in Page’s squad who need to secure first-team football in the domestic game to be in peak condition come the World Cup for group games against USA, Iran and England.
Ramsey, 31, returns to Juventus for the final year of his contract following a loan spell at Rangers but the future of the out-of-favour midfielder in Italy remains in doubt.
Page added: “Aaron as well as Gareth are both really important players for us. They turn up in big games and score goals for us.
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“Sometimes Aaron’s reputation has gone before him, with regards to how robust he is to go from game to game.
“But he’s shown every time he turns up for Wales he’s more than capable of playing back to back games.”
Joe Allen missed the 3-2 Nations League defeat in Holland on Tuesday with a hamstring injury and is out of contract after his deal at Stoke expired.
The Championship club have offered fresh terms but with ex-club Swansea interested, Allen, 32, is assessing his options.
Page said: “He’s a massive asset for us. What he’s done for Welsh football over the years has been incredible and he’s still a massive part for me moving forward.
“He will be 100 per cent in my World Cup squad, there is no doubt about that so it’s about getting him in the best place now to go out and enjoy his football wherever that may be.
“Any club is an option for him. He’s got options on the table. He might have to wait a little bit, but we know he’ll be playing football next season, it’s just about finding out where.”
As well as experienced trio Bale, Ramsey and Allen, there are doubts over the future of Tottenham centre-back Joe Rodon, who struggled for game time under Antonio Conte.
Aaron as well as Gareth are both really important players for us. They turn up in big games and score goals for us.
Wales manager Robert Page
Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Wolves and Brighton have previously been linked with the 24-year-old defender.
Record cap-holder Chris Gunter on 109 is unattached after leaving Charlton at the end of last season.
Goalkeepers Wayne Hennessey and Danny Ward barely played at club level for Burnley and Leicester respectively.
Hennessey, outstanding in the play-off final over Ukraine, will hope Nick Pope moves to a Premier League club to open the door for more football.
Young guns Neco Williams, Ethan Ampadu, Dylan Levitt and Rabbi Matondo, who are all 21, enjoyed successful loan spells last season but will now want to kick on before the finals.
Williams starred at Fulham during their promotion campaign but is due to return to Liverpool.
Chelsea defender Ampadu was a regular for Serie A side Venezia despite relegation.
Levitt was a stand-out performer for Dundee United on loan from Manchester United and the midfielder will now hope to impress new boss Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
And Matondo has attracted interest from six clubs after the forward went back to Schalke following a season-long spell at Belgian club Cercle Brugge.
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