Exeter City manager Matt Taylor has said Luca Woodhouse and Jayden Wareham chose not to travel with the team for the League Two fixture at York City, as rumours continue over their possible departure from St James Park.
Striker Wareham has been linked with a move away all summer after scoring 22 goals in all competitions last season for City. So far, only two bids from Wycombe Wanderers have been received, and both were rejected.
Defender Woodhouse has been linked with a move to League One Wigan Athletic, where he would reunite with Gary Caldwell, the manager who brought him to Devon last season. Neither player was involved in the squad as the Grecians were beaten 2-1 by the Minstermen, but Taylor stressed that nothing has been agreed regarding either player's departure.
"Two players haven't travelled with the potential of something to happen elsewhere," he told BBC Radio Devon pre-match. " I need to reiterate that, nothing has been agreed and its still only potential, but we are in the position where we are without a few players today.
"We have to be reactive, time is running out, but we have to replace players if they leave. My biggest thing for people to here today is nothing has been agreed. Some are closer than others, but we have to be aware that things might not happen and they might still be our players."
On the pitch, City lost 2-1. Goals from Alex Newby and Jovan Malcolm put the Minstermen ahead before Jack Fitzwater pulled one back in stoppage time. After the match, Taylor was again asked about the absence of Wareham and Woodhouse, and he told BBC Radio Devon it was their decision and not his that they were not involved.
"That wasn't our decision. It was the players' decision in relation to not travelling with with the team," he said. "So that tells you where they're at in terms of what they want and expect. But they are contracted players to Exeter City Football Club, and there is a value which we'll keep and keep working towards, and it's up to the buying clubs to match that
"Until it happens, these players are still contracted. Like I say, their decision not to be involved today. Do I like it? No. Do we understand it? Yeah. Yeah, I do. Certainly in Jayden's situation. But then there's going to be another couple of days of uncertainty, which doesn't help me, doesn't help the group. There's gonna be so much unknown, but we have to get some bodies in. Will they be in before Tuesday night? I honestly don't know."
When asked what kind of players he would be hoping to bring in, Taylor said that while he wants experience to add to his youthful group, it was unlikely that those sorts of opportunities would be available. "I think everyone's aware of what we need, but yeah, it's impossible to bring the experience," he said. "We can bring experienced players in who've not been training with a club and not done a pre-season, or they've been injured for large parts of their recent careers. That's the market we're working in."
Wareham and Woodhouse Choose Not to Travel for Exeter City