Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens has said it is not up to him as to whether Dom Ballard remains at the club this summer.
The forward has had an electric debut season at Brisbane Road, ending the campaign as the League One Golden Boot winner with 23 goals, well clear of second-placed Kyle Wootton and Jayden Wareham.
Wellens Makes Position Clear
However, Orient could lose their star forward over the summer window, with interest now building from multiple destinations. Wrexham have taken a keen interest in the former Southampton man, with Darren Witcoop stating that the 21-year-old is one of four signings they would like to seal over the coming months.
An Alan Nixon report in April also suggested that the O’s could be set for a massive cash windfall should they sanction an exit, with the club setting an asking price similar to the £15 million Birmingham City spent for Jay Stansfield after his successes in the division for Exeter City.
Speaking to BBC Radio London following their final day draw with Burton Albion, which secured his side’s place in League One for next season, Richie Wellens gave his opinion when asked if Ballard could be moved on.
“Do we want to keep him? Absolutely. But then if someone comes in with a figure that is acceptable to David (Gandler, majority shareholder) and Nigel (Travis, chairman), then we will have to see.”
Ballard’s efforts has seen him largely dodge the frequent criticism the 46-year-old has launched at his players throughout the season, which culminated in him saying that many of his squad had wasted a year of their careers and the time of supporters.
Sale Will Leave Orient Worse Off
As much as a massive payday would boost the coffers of Leyton Orient over the summer, selling Dom Ballard could prove to be a death knell for the club in League One and condemn them back to the fourth tier.
It is up to the owners and chairmen to decide what to do if an acceptable offer comes in, but letting go of their only real talent after a poor season would give Richie Wellens one of the toughest summers to try to perfectly nail his recruitment down to a tee.
Replacing the goal output that the 21-year-old has offered up is an unenviable task, and as proven by this season, not having someone who can secure you a good goal haul over the season can be the difference between relegation certainties and staying afloat.
Orient though could be able to replace Ballard with the team they directly competed with for survival’s star man in Jayden Wareham with Exeter City needing some financial help and perhaps their 22-year-old talisman would relish another chance in the third tier.
However, the crucial bit of business is creating a good enough supporting cast to complement whoever starts up front, as the biggest failure of the past year was being unable to replicate the creativity of Jamie Donley and Dan Agyei.
