Exeter City may put unwanted Gary Caldwell record to the test without fresh player agreement | OneFootball

Exeter City have been crying out for a quality striker for ages and Josh Magennis' contract situation will be big this summer.

It's fair to say that Exeter City have bigger problems than Josh Magennis' contract situation right now.

But, with just 17 League One games left to play this season, it's one that will hone into view very quickly, and it could have big implications for the club going forward.

The Northern Ireland striker has led the line pretty much by himself for the Grecians this season and is clearly the only option in the No.9 position that Gary Caldwell trusts.

Sonny Cox and Jay Bird are both long-term development options, and that shows as their lack of physicality, compared to Magennis, is apparent or on the rare occasion that they're called in to duty.

The former Wigan Athletic and Hull City hitman has struggled for goals, and he's netted on four occasions in 28 appearances in the league this season.

He has been excellent in the FA Cup, however, and finished with six goals in four games after bagging a brace in Tuesday's pulsating penalty shootout loss to Nottingham Forest.

Exeter have struggled for goals

While he, and the City team in general, are struggling for goals, the 34-year-old is clearly a cut above the other options that Caldwell has at his disposal.

Deadline day arrival Andrew Oluwabori is something of an unknown, but he is likely to slot in for Millenic Alli on the left wing.

Alli was infuriating to watch but he, somehow, bagged 12 goals in 33 games for City this term before his £1.5m move to Luton Town last month.

He got nine in the league before his departure, five more than Magennis has managed so far.

City's next two top League One scorers, Kamari Doyle and Tristan Crama, have both been recalled and sent elsewhere by their parent clubs and both managed only three apiece.

It makes absolutely woeful reading and finding someone to score goals has been one of Caldwell's biggest blind spots since he took the reins at Exeter.

The former Scotland international has struggled to bring in the numbers or quality up front that's required to really push on in League One.

It's been 18 months since City fans have seen anyone they could hang their hat on up front, with Sam Nombe's move to Rotherham United starting a search that still hasn't been fulfilled.

Bolstering Exeter's striking options a priority

Most Grecians were expecting a striker to arrive last month, but those dreams didn't materalise.

It's reaching crisis point now and, if the Grecians are to go down, there has to be a long-hard look at the recruitment in one of the most important areas of the pitch over the last four windows.

Magennis will be 35 come the end of the next transfer window, and it's a credit to him as to how robust he is in that he's featured in every league game that he's been available for.

But, while his fitness and industry can't be questioned, that goal return is a worry and he's a rather one-dimensional player.

You suspect that he might sign on for another 12 months in the summer but, whether he stays or goes, City have to get it right this time around in quality and depth.

Many supporters have given up on Caldwell now and, with another window passing by without this issue being addressed, it's being used as a stick to beat the City boss.

It's fair to do so as well. It's not like he's not had long enough to get it sorted out.

Questions are being asked about Caldwell's recruitment of attackers and if it continues to underwhelm, then City's stay in the third tier might not go on too much longer.

A new deal for Magennis, then, might feel like added insurance heading beyond 2024/25.