TWTD understands that Richard Wright and David Wright have been told that their Town contracts will not be renewed when they expire at the end of the season. Defender Pim Balkestein can also leave the club during the summer, while Jon Stead and loanee Liam Rosenior have been told they are not in Roy Keane’s plans for next season.
The decision to release Richard Wright, who rejoined his hometown club two years ago, comes as no shock with Brian Murphy increasingly establishing himself as the club’s number one and with the former England man a high earner.
David Wright’s exit after three and a half years at the club is perhaps more surprising given that he is in the team at present, although Keane brought Rosenior in on loan for the season in August, indicating that the former Wigan man wasn’t a player he particularly rated and had also made a move for Danny Simpson before he joined Newcastle.
Balkestein, whose two-year deal is up in June, although the club had the option of a third season, has fallen out of favour in the second half of this season and is currently on loan at Brentford. The Bees are understood to be interested in signing the former Heerenveen man on a permanent basis, while the player is considering moving back to Holland.
Rosenior, whose Reading contract is up this summer, had established himself as Town’s first choice right-back until the latter stages of the season when he fell out of favour, particularly after his performance at Watford.
Stead, who is contracted to Town until the summer of 2011, joined Coventry on loan in January having failed to score enough goals in the first half of the season. A fee for Stead's permanent move to the Sky Blues is believed to have been agreed, although personal terms are yet to be settled. Daryl Murphy looks to be a direct replacement for the much-travelled former England U21 international.
Town have 11 players who are out of contract this summer and not all have them have yet been told their futures. Boss Roy Keane has also said that a number of players who will still be in contract next season are also likely to be on their way.