LEON Kelly is set to follow Les Hines out of Worcester City after being placed on the transfer list.

Striker Kelly -- who has endured a below-par Nationwide North season --has been told he can leave St George's Lane and a move is likely to materialise well ahead of Friday's 5pm transfer deadline.

County rivals Redditch United are among a host of clubs queuing up to sign the 27-year-old powerhouse, with Reds' boss Gary Whild admitting to admiring Kelly's qualities.

With concerns over his playing budget, Worcester manager Andy Preece insists Kelly's current wage packet cannot be maintained for next season.

And after scoring just five league goals in a disappointing campaign for the former Ilkeston Town forward, Preece was only prepared to offer reduced terms.

"I could not afford to keep Leon on the same level of wages that he's on at the moment," said Preece.

Wages

"He wants to get as close as possible to his current wages.

"The idea is that if somebody out there can get close to matching his wages and sort it out before the end of the season, then we've got to let that happen for him.

"There's been one or two enquiries during the season for Leon and it's not fair to keep him knowing that I'm going to offer him reduced terms.

"It's not completely the end of the road for him at Worcester -- it just depends what happens, but there are teams after him.

"I'm sure someone will offer him close to what he's on. If nothing comes off, he will stay with us until the end of the season. Leon's had an up and down season. He's not been at his best and he's the first to admit that."

If Kelly exits, he will become the second City player moving on this week, following full-back Hines' defection to Hednesford.

Whild expressed his interest, saying: "I think he's a handful and gets into a number of scoring positions."