Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes will hold contract talks with midfielder Ryan Jack at the end of the season.
The highly-rated 23-year-old has only one year left on his contract and McInnes is keen to extend his deal rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer, or at a reduced fee before then.
McInnes said: “We have agreed to speak to Ryan again at the end of the season, he’s someone we want to keep but we have agreed to wait until then.
“We just want to get the job done then sit down with him.
“We will also speak to other players before the end of the season. A lot of decisions have to be made and, at this time of year, there’s always a lot of uncertainty.
“But we have a lot to play for and work to do, that’s the most important thing at the minute.”
McInnes did not suffer any false hope from Kilmarnock’s surprise opener against Celtic on Wednesday evening.
A Killie win would have breathed new life into the title race but the Hoops responded to Darryl Westlake’s goal by winning the match 4-1 to open an eight-point gap on the Dons.
McInnes, whose side take on Dundee United at Pittodrie tomorrow, said: “I didn’t have a brief moment of thinking the door had opened again. I looked at the result at half-time and then again at the end because I expected that to happen.
“I expect Celtic to win the league, I’ve made that pretty clear.
“They’d have to lose three from their last six and we’d have to win every game.
“If we could win every game – and that’s a big if – the chances are Celtic will still win it.
“If we can secure second place then it will be for the first time for 21 years. It’s a difficult thing to do and there’s no shame losing a league to Celtic with the resources they have.”
McInnes was content with the post-split fixtures finally announced earlier this week.
Celtic will visit Aberdeen on May 10 and could claim the league title at Pittodrie.
The manager added: “We got the fixtures we expected, I would have preferred three home games, but it fell the way I thought it would.
“The Celtic game will take care of itself so our only concentration is on Saturday’s game.
“We will look forward to the Celtic one, regardless of what the game could bring. But it’s a long way away and just now we just have to keep winning.”