Out-of-contract duo Mark Bentley (pictured) and Garry Richards are expected to sign for Gillingham within the next week.

The duo are the last remaining players yet to decide their future in the close season, although manager Andy Hessenthaler wants to keep them both at Priestfield.

Negotiations are continuing with Gills chairman Paul Scally, although he has been attending the Football League's annual conference in Malta.

Hessenthaler said: "It's been hard to pin him (the chairman) down at the moment.

"But he is talking to Mark Bentley on Thursday (today) and I'd like to think he will be sorted by the weekend.

"Garry Richards may be a bit longer, we are still negotiating a deal."

Hessenthaler is keen for them to be signed up as quickly as possible adding: "The quicker for me the better.

"Once we've got them on board we'll know what squad we've got and then we can build on that - I'm confident that they will both stay."

Would you like to see Mark Bentley and Garry Richards put pen-to-paper on new deals quickly?