John Brooks might have to be sold by Hertha Berlin, says club CEO

Hertha Berlin could be forced to sell John Brooks should the defender not sign a new contract before the summer, according to club CEO Michael Preetz.

Brooks, 22, is under contract until 2017, with his hometown club having wanted to extend his stay in Berlin for several months. If he does not sign a new contract before the summer then his transfer value will begin to significantly reduce as he moves into the final year of his current deal.

Negotiations, however, have so far yet to produce a result, with the United States international switching agents during a crucial phase in the talks last year.

Brooks, who has been linked with a move to Wolfsburg, left the German agency Sports Total and is now represented by Berlin-based agent Kadir Ozdogan.

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Writing in a column for kicker on the difficulties of contract talks in general, Preetz said Hertha could be forced to sell Brooks, who was called "a diamond" by coach Pal Dardai at the end of 2015.

"As a club we are dependent on generating transfer fees," Preetz wrote. "For the good of the club, you have to consider selling players such as John Brooks or Toga Cigerci [also under contract until 2017], with whom we have been in talks for a long time, when you can't agree on a new contract."

Preetz said that players and agents are "aware" of the situation, adding: "When you don't find common ground, you have to part ways, and that's sometimes painful."