Skipper Marcus Bontempelli says talks on his next deal with the Western Bulldogs are progressing, but there’s no need to rush anything.

The 25-year-old stood alongside new vice-captain Mitch Wallis as the Bulldogs unveiled their 2021 leaders on Thursday, saying there was no reason for the red, white and blue faithful to be concerned about him recommitting to the club he leads.

Changes to list sizes, total player payments and salary caps due to the impacts of Covid have significantly impacted the AFL industry over the past six months, but clubs across the competition now have more clarity on the road ahead.

Bontempelli is due to come out of contract at the end of this season, after signing a two-year extension at the end of 2018.

“I don’t put timeframes on things at the best of times, because you just need to let it evolve naturally,” he said.

“There’s no real pressure from my end, there’s no real pressure from the club’s end to get something done tomorrow.

“I think we’re both pretty good in that respect. We’ll just work through it and give it the time that it needs.”

“There’s no real hesitation. It’s just a matter of understanding the lay of the land now and working through it in time.”

Bontempelli adapted to plenty of challenges in 2020 – including tackling his first year as captain amidst the uncertainty of a Covid-impacted season and more than three months in a Gold Coast hub.

It didn’t impact his on-field performance though, with the star midfielder adding a third All Australian guernsey to his collection, alongside a second-placed finish in the Charles Sutton Medal.