PAULO Di Canio is being made to wait before learning whether or not he has a long-term future with Charlton.

Despite his man-of-the-match performance in the 2-2 draw with relegated Leicester which saw him complete a century of goals in English and Italian football, manager Alan Curbishley is sticking rigidly to his stance that no decision will be taken on the 35-year-old's future until the season is over.

He said: “I have had a number of talks with Paulo and he knows where we stand. A decision was always going to be made once the season was finished.

“We’ll see where we stand then. What with all the talk about players out of contract and how much we’re going to spend, I felt it was disrespectful to the players already with the club.”

Di Canio, who joined Charlton from West Ham in August, believes his performances merit an extension to his existing deal.

He said: “I get on well with my team-mates and the coaching staff at the club. I am playing for a good team at a good club so why should I want to leave?

“My ambition is to help Charlton achieve their highest finish in the Premiership. The only disappointment is that I have not had much of a chance to help in the last few weeks because I have been a substitute.”

Meanwhile, Charlton will entertain Spanish club Seville for a friendly on August 7 as part of the two clubs’ centenary celebrations. The second leg in Spain will be played in the summer of 2005.