MANAGER Ronnie Moore admitted Tranmere could do little to prevent losing skipper Antony Kay to League One rivals Huddersfield Town over the weekend.
Yorkshireman Kay, who became a free agent this summer, joined the Terriers on a two-year contract.
Moore had been keen to retain the services of the 26-year-old, voted player of the season by supporters for his influential performances in a midfield anchor role during the 2008/09 campaign.
But the Wirral club are not in a position to offer the kind of terms Kay was able to secure with Huddersfield. Moore said: “Huddersfield offered him a financial package that no-one in this division could match.”
The player also had talks with Peterborough United, newly promoted to the Championship, before settling for a move that keeps him close to his Barnsley home.
Moore added: “We have been aware that Antony was talking to other clubs and with him being out of contract at the end of June we have several targets in mind as potential replacements.”
Tranmere could well see more of the players who helped them finish seventh in League One move on in the coming months.
They have offered new terms to goalkeeper Danny Coyne, defender Ben Chorley, midfielders Steve Jennings and Charlie Barnett and striker Ian Moore.
But with budgets cut back due to falling revenue through the turnstiles and rising levels of debt at Prenton Park, Rovers are in not in a strong position to compete against clubs with deeper pockets.
Coyne’s achievement in keeping 20 clean sheets with Tranmere last season earned him the Puma Golden Gloves award for League One.
Meanwhile, Championship club Preston North End are expected to provide one of the highlights of Tranmere’s pre-season campaign this summer.
Preston, who made the Championship play-offs under the management of former Everton assistant coach Alan Irvine, are due at Prenton Park on Saturday, July 18.
Tranmere’s pre-season schedule is also expected to include friendlies against regular local opponents Cammell Laird on Tuesday, July 14, and Southport on Tuesday, July 21, a visit to League Two club Macclesfield Town on Saturday, July 25, and a home game against Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, August 1.
