West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has admitted the length of Kevin Phillips' new contract is proving to be a sticking point in negotiations.The striker's current deal ends in the summer and talks between the 34-year-old - Albion's leading scorer - and the club have stalled.

Mowbray remains confident a deal will eventually be struck but is not keen to hand out long-term contracts to players in the latter stages of their career.

He said: "If you want to put an angle on it, let's say we are confident, but who knows in this situation.

"We have been talking to Kevin for a while and I don't think we are that far away. I don't like to lay the burden on anyone but there are other people involved that murky the waters.

"We have got no problem with Kevin, who gets on with his job, and scores goals and let's hope we can get something sorted out.

"Is the issue a one or two-year deal? I would suggest it is not as simple as that but it is maybe one of the things in the equation.

"He is approaching 35 and do you hand out three or four-year contracts to players at that age? I don't think you do.

"I finished at 37 as a player and for the last three or four years I signed one-year extensions which made sure I performed and was hungry to get another deal."

Albion are, meanwhile, still waiting to see whether Luke Steele will be extending his loan period with fellow FA Cup semi-finalists Barnsley.

The Black Country club are happy for Steele to remain at Oakwell but want Barnsley to sign the player permanently on a free transfer and also to start paying his wages in full.

The Baggies have been subsidising Steele's wages but now feel the Yorkshire club have sufficient funds after their lucrative FA Cup run.

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