Brian Easton is set for a new deal at Hamilton Accies that will keep him at New Douglas Park for another year.
The 33-year-old defender, who started his career at the club and returned for a third spell in May 2019, is out of contract at the end of the season.
But Lanarkshire Live Sport understands he is close to agreeing an extension that could be announced before Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash with Livingston.
Easton has also been coaching the under-18s in his time at the club and it's understood that is a role he will continue when Covid restrictions ease for grassroots football.
It's been a frustrating season for the experienced skipper, who played over 100 games for St Johnstone and had a spell down south with Burnley.
He missed the start of the season through a shoulder injury and then played his first game of the campaign in the 8-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in November.
Since then he has gone on to make another 19 appearances for Accies, but he hobbled off during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Aberdeen after twisting his knee.
Accies boss Brian Rice told Lanarkshire Live Sport earlier this week he believed Easton's injury wasn't as bad as first feared and hoped he would be in contention to face the Lions.
An update is expected at his weekly press conference tomorrow.
If Easton signs up for another year, it would be another huge boost for the club off the back of Hakeem Odoffin's contract extension on Tuesday, keeping him at the club until 2022.
Meanwhile, Accies have announced they are hoping to get some of their youth teams back in action soon, as they await the green light from the Scottish Government and SFA Joint Response Group For all age groups to return to training.
Academy Director George Cairns told the club website: “It’s really important to get back to what we’re good at and developing these youngsters who’ve lost out on a lot of valuable training and match time with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Of course, we’ve been providing the boys with training plans and keeping in contact with them with sport science sessions on Zoom, however, nothing quite beats looking out to the New Douglas Park pitch and it’s got various age groups working hard towards that same goal.
“Kyle Munro scored against Livingston on his debut with a fantastic header and that’s exactly the type of moments our youngsters will watch and take encouragement from because ultimately they’ll want a taste of that as well.
“With Brian Easton as Skipper and Scott McMann as Vice Captain these are two players who’ve come through the set-up and understand our core values, so they’ve got plenty of inspirations to look up to.”
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