Exeter City midfielder Ryan Woods is set to leave Championship side Hull City this summer, as confirmed via a report from the Hull Daily Mail.
The experienced midfielder isn’t in the plans of Tigers boss Liam Rosenior and will be allowed to leave the Championship side this summer to pursue regular first-team football.
Journalist Baz Cooper stated that Woods is ‘not part of Rosenior’s plans’ and ‘will be allowed to leave the club this summer if an agreement can be struck’ which certainly suggests that he will be leaving in the coming months.
How has Woods faired this season?
The 30-year-old was left out of Hull City’s first five Championship matches this season, before making a temporary loan switch to League One side Bristol Rovers. With Matt Taylor’s men, Woods struggled to land a regular first-team spot and featured just 16 times in all competitions.
In January, Woods was recalled by the Tigers and moved on to fellow League One side Exeter City for the remainder of the 2023/24 season. Since joining the Grecians, Woods has made 11 appearances whilst starting seven of the club’s last eight matches and has played a crucial role at the heart of their midfield.
Is a permanent switch to Exeter in the offing?
Speaking to Devon Live, Woods hinted that despite having a difficult decision in-store due to family circumstances, he was more than happy at Exeter City, which could suggest that he has the eyes on the potential to make this loan deal permanent. He stated…
“Now my kids have started school, it is not as easy to up sticks and move as easily as it would have been previously.
“At the same time, I need to enjoy going to work every day and I am certainly doing that at the moment. I have travelled all this way, but the most important thing is that I have loved out here, I am loving it here, I have enjoyed every minute so far and that’s all you want as a player.”
Meanwhile, Exeter’s Alex Hartridge has already confirmed that he will be heading the other way this summer, leaving the club once his current contract expires at the end of the season.
What is his contract status?
Once the 2023/24 season concludes, the 30-year-old will have one year left on his contract at Hull City and will be close to entering the peak stage of his professional career.
However, with Hull City recently splashing the cash with several high earners joining the Championship side, you could argue that the Tigers would rather get Woods off the wage bill, before focusing back on their recruitment for next season.