PAUL Tisdale, the Exeter City manager, has admitted the club may be forced to sell star striker and former Court Fields School pupil, Tom Nichols during the January transfer window.

Nichols - who scored and was named man of the match in City’s shock FA Cup third draw with Liverpool last week – is out of contract in the summer and has turned down a new deal offered to him by the club.

The 22-year-old has been linked with a host of Championship sides after his FA Cup exploits, and manager Tisdale has said the club is ‘open to offers’ for Nichols, who would command a compensation fee from any club looking to sign him, due to his age.

Another City player out of contract in the summer, David Wheeler, is over 24 so could leave on a free transfer.

Tisdale told the Express and Echo: "We're open to offers during January because that's business and that's how we have to do it.

"I'm hoping they'll sign but they haven't, so the transfer window is an opportunity for clubs to look at them.

"We shouldn't begrudge David, Tom or any other players wanting to get to a higher level, and over the next couple days we'll have more discussions.

"We don't have to take any offers. We can take the right offer if it comes up, but if it doesn't come up we're more than happy to keep the players."

Nichols - whose father ran the King’s Arms pub in Wellington for 13 years, and whose mother lives in Ruishton - will be in action at Anfield on Wednesday night for Exeter’s third round replay against the Premier League giants.