TYRONE Mears is the first name heading for the Reebok exit door as Wanderers prepare for a January clearout.

Dougie Freedman is getting ready to freshen his squad in the next transfer window and has told the full-back he is free to find another club – but the Whites boss is also mulling over whether to cash in on some of his other fringe players.

The likes of Chris Eagles and David Ngog are out of contract next summer while Marvin Sordell and Keith Andrews, also signings by previous manager Owen Coyle, have been farmed out on loan to Charlton and Brighton respectively.

Freedman wants to sweep the decks and bring in his own players in what he still hopes can be a push towards the top six in the New Year.

The Scot has denied there has been any falling-out with Mears but confirmed he would be allowed to leave with his blessing should another club come calling.

“I have got no problem with his attitude in training but Tyrone Mears does not look like fitting in with my idea of a right-back. It is as simple as that,” he said.

“I don’t have any problem with Tyrone over his attitude or how he has trained.

“Tyrone is available for loan, no doubt, and he can go and get some football.

“He missed quite a bit of football last year with his illness and he’s missed a bit this year.

“At his age he does have to go and play, and he realises that as well. Where and when he goes, I don’t know the answer at the moment.”

Mears could have signed for Millwall in August but opted to stay and fight for his place.

“He had my blessing because at the time I had Alex Baptiste and then Kevin McNaughton and it didn’t look as if he was going to get a game,” Freedman explained. “He was free to go but his decision was that he didn’t want to go.

“Did he regret it? I don’t know the answer to that.”

While Freedman’s mind is made up on Mears, there appear huge question marks over the future of other players in his squad.

Eagles has fallen out of favour while the club are unlikely to be in a financial position to keep hold of Ngog if they remain in the second tier.

Andrews and Sordell are also under contract for next season and on expensive contracts but both have found success with rivals in the Championship this season.

Freedman admits he faces some “big calls” but he hinted that he will make no final decisions on contracts until Wanderers’ own future looks more certain.

“It is in the back of my mind because I have got a responsibility to the football club and that means looking after the financial position,” he said. “That is a big part of the game these days.

“With player’s contracts running out I have already sat down and thought ‘what can we afford, when can we afford it, and in what league can we afford it?’ “It is definitely in the back of my mind.”