NATHAN Byrne’s exit from the County Ground is already being planned for, even if the wideman does not leave during this transfer window.

Byrne has been the subject of much transfer speculation over the summer, which has heightened since he scored a hat-trick on the opening day of the season against Bradford.

Most recently, a reported seven-figure bid was being prepared by Championship outfit Burnley, with the Clarets’ director of football coming to watch Byrne at the County Ground.

Town chairman Lee Power has made no secret of the fact that any of the assets he has on the pitch will be allowed to leave if he gets the right offer for them. That statement rings true for Byrne.

However the capture of Northern Ireland under 21 international Jordan Stewart was made with the idea he could provide adequate on-field compensation for the potential departure of Byrne.

“We’ve had a lot of interest for Nathan, a lot of clubs on the phone,” Power told BBC Wiltshire.

“Frank (McParland, Burnley director of football) came down and sat with me at a game. They’re very strong on (Byrne).

“It’s well documented that Queens Park Rangers and Huddesfield have shown an interest in Nathan.

“We had that last year with Massimo (Luongo), Yaser (Kasim) and (Ben) Gladwin, but we held on to the until the end of the season. If it’s right for the football club they’ll be sold, if it aint, then they won’t. It’s as simple as that.

“When we signed Jordan Stewart that was something on the back of our mind that something might happen with Byrnie – it might not.

“There’s one eye on that, if Nathan was to go, (Stewart) could fill that void.

“We wouldn’t leave the team short.”

The situation with Byrne is a delicate one. The January window is the last time the club would be able to command a fee for the former Tottenham man and Power must weigh up the club’s financial needs when deciding on whether to let him go.

“(Nathan) is out of contract at the end of the season,” he added.

“Come January you’ve got 30 days with a gun to your head where you think ‘if he stays does he get us promoted and he could walk away for nothing?’

“Nathan didn’t want to sign a new contract, nothing wrong with that. He gives 110 per cent every week for the football club. If he wants to improve himself and the right offer comes in there’s not a lot we can do other than try and find a replacement and move him on.

“It will only be for the right price.”