Talks to keep Jerome will start when the season ends

The fate of Cameron Jerome remains in the balance but Russell Martin would love to keep his top-scorer next season.

Jerome has netted 15 goals this season - the most a Dons striker has netted in League One since Will Grigg in 2014/15 - and could reach the 20 mark with nine games still remaining.

A bid was tabled by Championship side Cardiff City on transfer deadline day for the striker, with both club and player open to taking up the offer had it come earlier in the window.

Scoring six in 12 games since though, Jerome is still in good form for Dons and has his manager eager to tie him down to a new contract for next season. But those discussions will not happen until the end of the current campaign, and Martin said there will be a lot of factors that will weigh on Jerome's mind before he makes a decision, and they won't necessarily be about football.

He said: "Me and Cammy will have a sit down at the end of the season and have an honest chat., He loves it here but there are a lot of factors you have to take into account – kids, schools, the wife. We will do all we can to keep him.

"He knows we want him to stay. His family are living quite a way away and he has to travel a lot. He has been a fantastic signing for us. I know there was a lot of scepticism and cynicism when he signed because people hadn't seen him for a few years, but he has shown how good he can be, and that was highlighted when Cardiff tabled a good bid for him in January. But he's got on with it and got his head down, worked hard and scored a lot of goals since tells you a lot about him.

"I'm delighted what he brings on and off the pitch. Hopefully we'll keep him beyond this year but I cannot promise anything."