Justin Edinburgh has insisted everyone will be given an equal opportunity to impress in pre-season, including those made available for transfer.

The Gills boss recently announced that keeper Stuart Nelson is free to move on while he has also allowed homesick midfielder Josh Pritchard to look elsewhere for first-team football.

Both are contracted to Gillingham for another season and Edinburgh hasn’t washed his hands of either.

He said: “Stuart might leave the club. If not, I have no qualms with either of them, they are top class professionals.

“They have both figured under me and if they stay here they will have an equal opportunity, like everyone else in the squad.”

Stockport-born Pritchard has struggled to settle at Priestfield since moving last summer.

Nelson has been told he is no longer first choice after Glenn Morris got the chance to show what he can do. The Gills are still awaiting a decision from Morris over whether he will accept terms on a new one-year deal.

If Nelson and Pritchard remain, they will be back with the Gills on June 29 when pre-season training resumes. The first friendly is at Folkestone on July 7.

“It will be here before you know it,” said Edinburgh. “You have that initial lull, to recharge your batteries, but soon we will be itching to return.

“It is nice to have a break but we all miss those competitive Saturday-Tuesdays where we try and get those three points.”