Exclusive: Luton Town, Reading and Blackpool plot move for 7-goal Exeter City star | OneFootball

The Grecians could be set to lose another of their key players following relegation to League Two

Exeter City are preparing for life back in League Two after their disappointing 2025-26 season, and they could be set to lose another key player, with third tier interest swirling in one of their stars, Football League World can exclusively reveal.

The Grecians kept their head above the paraphet for three seasons as a mid-table League One club, whilst cashing in on their best players from time to time, such as Sam Nombe and Millenic Alli.

But there was no such luck for them this past season, with the tide well and truly turning when manager Gary Caldwell jumped ship to re-join divisional rivals Wigan Athletic - Exeter were 14th in the table at the time of the Scotsman's exit, but come the end of the season, after brief caretaker boss Dan Green and the returning Matt Taylor could only pick up 10 points out of a possible 48, the Devon outfit were relegated, returning to League Two for the first time since 2022.

Jayden Wareham's 19 goals couldn't even save City from the drop, and another one of their most important players could now be on the move away from St James Park this summer.

Exeter City star eyed up by Blackpool, Luton Town & Reading FC

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FLW understands that Exeter midfielder Reece Cole is a man in-demand this summer, with a number of League One clubs looking to give him the opportunity to make a quick return to the level.

Luton Town, Blackpool and Reading are all interested in doing a deal for the 28-year-old playmaker, who has one year remaining on his contract at St James Park, with City likely to cash in for the right price amid their struggling financial situation.

Having come through the Brentford youth system, following a stint at non-league Hayes & Yeading United, Cole would play just once at senior level for the Bees, whilst also taking in loan stints at Newport County, Yeovil Town, Maidenhead United, Macclesfield Town and Partick Thistle before his departure from Griffin Park in 2020.

After a short stint with QPR's under-21's and a year with Dunfermline Athletic, Cole dropped back into the English non-league system with Chertsey Town and then returned to Hayes & Yeading, with his performances there earning him a trial at Exeter in the summer of 2023, which he capitalised on to earn a contract with the Grecians.

In his three years at City, Cole has scored 17 goals in all competitions, adding 11 assists on top of that, and is set to be one of the club's biggest assets this summer, along with the aforementioned Wareham.

How much longer Exeter can keep Cole for though remains to be seen, with a plethora of League One clubs keen on giving the 28-year-old another chance, and there's a wide geographical range to the interest too, with both Luton and Reading significantly closer to his Hillingdon roots than Blackpool are.