The retainment announcement made it sound like he had signed an extension
If you’re referring to the link I put above, I’d disagree, unless the option was in Ewing’s favour, which is possible but unlikely.
When things were “going well”, contracts were typically offered with a further year’s option in the club’s favour, meaning that a fee could be guaranteed if the extension was activated and the player was sold promptly.
However, the player could still opt to run down the contract to leave on a free a year later, so there was always a gamble if the player wasn’t necessarily guaranteed to play. Folk with better memories than me can probably think of examples of players who might have drawn a fee but the option wasn’t exercised in case this scenario occurred.
In this case, if the club have exercised an option, Ewing is under contract and we would be guaranteed a fee if he leaves. Even if Ewing himself has exercised the option, he is under contract and we would be guaranteed a fee if he leaves.
In neither of those circumstances is the club waiting to see whether he’ll stay, as he would be under contract already if what has been stated by the club has happened. That doesn’t mean he can’t be sold, and indeed probably would be if he intimates that he wants to go, particularly if the extension was exercised by the club, but neither of these circumstances fits the scenario that “he’s out of contract” if an option has been exercised.
