Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield has explained the reasons why midfielder Nick Freeman has decided to leave the club.

The Chairboys announced their retained list for the 2023/24 season on May 10, but the roster did not include the 27-year-old, along with Lewis Wing and Curtis Thompson.

The reasoning for Freeman’s permanent departure from Adams Park after seven years in Buckinghamshire was primarily down to not being a first-team regular, and it was with a ‘heavy heart’ he declined the chance to remain with Wanderers.

Bloomfield told the club’s media: “Nick was a long-serving member of the team who was in and out of the squad.

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“That was kind of behind his decision to look for regular football elsewhere.

“We did discuss a contract with him, but he has a big desire to be a first-team regular and he didn’t see that happening here.

“I’m sure he won’t mind me saying that, as he told me that his decision was made with a really heavy heart.

“He has loved his time here, but wants to be a first-team regular and that’s fine,

“I completely understand that as he is in that peak age who wants to be on the team sheet every week.”

Following his move to Wycombe in the summer of 2016, Freeman played 178 games and scored nine goals for the club.*

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He also had two spells away on loan – the first was with Wealdstone a few months after joining, and the second was with Leyton Orient.

The latter took place in January 2021 when Wycombe were in the Championship.

*This does not include appearances and goals in the Berks & Bucks Cup.