Seven players will leave City this summer, with contracts offered to five more.
Exeter City are still in talks with numerous players they want to keep at St James Park, but seven Grecians will leave in the summer.
Contracts have been extended to Demetri Mitchell, Tom Carroll, Harry Lee, and Caleb Watts, all of whom were out of contract this summer. Zak Jules is also out of contract, and it is known that City has the option of triggering a one-year extension, but the club has also offered the defender a longer-term agreement.
Academy graduates Alex Hartridge and Harry Kite have previously confirmed their departure from the club this summer. They will be joined by other young players Joe O’Connor and Harrison King, who have not received contracts, as well as goalkeeper Gary Woods and midfielder Kyle Taylor. Striker James Scott, who spent the second half of the season on loan at St Mirren, will make a permanent move to Scotland this summer.
Tom Dean, a child, has been offered a professional contract. Jake Richards has also been offered a professional contract, which the club hopes he will sign once he reaches 17.
City manager Gary Caldwell stated: “We are working hard on all of the players, and hopefully they will commit to Exeter very soon.” Everyone’s contract needs vary, and everyone has family situations, so we’re working with that.
“We want it to work sooner rather than later, so that by June 20th, we have as many members of the squad as possible ready to begin preparations for the new season.
“One of the most difficult aspects of being a manager is selecting the team every week and leaving good people out, and at the end of some people’s contracts, you have to let them go, and we’ve always been fair to the people who haven’t been playing and kept in good communication with them, working with and supporting them, and when it comes to an end, it almost has a natural ending for the players.
“I chatted with every single one of them, and they depart with our best wishes and a positive attitude of Exeter City. They’ve all had fantastic times here, and they’ve all expressed gratitude to the club for the warmth they’ve had while they were here.”
EXETER CITY RETAINED LIST 2023/24
Players out of contract and departing:
Gary Woods
Alex Hartridge
Harry Kite
Kyle Taylor
James Scott
Joe O’Connor
Harrison King
Players in contract negotiations:
Zak Jules
Demetri Mitchell
Harry Lee
Caleb Watts
Tom Carroll
Players returning to their parent clubs:
Mo Eisa
Ryan Woods
Admiral Muskwe
Luke Harris
Dion Rankine
Viljami Sinisalo
Players under Contract
Ben Purrington
Will Aimson
Reece Cole
Yanic Wildschut
Ilmari Niskanen
Sonny Cox
Jack Fitzwater
Millenic Alli
Pierce Sweeney
Jack Aitchison
Shaun MacDonald
Vincent Harper
Cheick Diabate
Mitch Beardmore
Gabriel Billington
Max Edgecombe
Ed James
Pedro Borges
Charlie Cummins
Signed a Pro Contract
Tom Dean