Rochdale will sell in January to avoid players leaving for free in the summer. Chairman Chris Dunphy told the Rochdale Observer, "We will try not to sell any of our players, but realistically speaking, the commercial market dictates."

He added: "Taking a realistic view of things, we will have to sell a player in January. We don't like to lose players, but given the choice between them walking away at the end of the season or getting some money for them in January, it's a no-brainer.

"That's just a fact of life in League Two football. We are top of the table, yet our last home game attracted only 2,779 people. We can't compete with the financial resources of clubs like Notts County in our division and when funds need to be raised the only option is to sell a player. Luckily, we have several players who are worth a bob or two."