Manager Steve King has explained what Deal’s first two summer signings will add to his squad.

They have recruited midfielder Jack Palmby and striker Mefose Esumobi, as well as retaining the majority of last term’s team, as they aim to improve upon a seventh-placed finish in their maiden Isthmian South East season.

Deal were one of the division’s top scorers despite being without striker Aaron Millbank for a large chunk of their 2024/25 campaign.

But King sees something in 20-year-old Esumobi, who joins from Corinthian, their frontline lacked while 22-year-old former Chatham, Whitstable, Tunbridge Wells and Bearsted player Palmby is someone who King worked with at youth-team level.

“We scored a lot of goals last year,” said King. “Our frontline was outstanding so it was difficult in terms of what we wanted to recruit.

“But we lacked a bit of physical size. Mefose came onto our radar last pre-season when we played Corinthian. (Departing manager) Michael Golding is a good friend of mine and I speak to him regularly.

“Mefose’s someone I think offers something different to what we have. With Jamie Kennedy being out for a while, maybe until the middle of the season, and he certainly won’t see the start of it, we’re a bit light because we’re not quite sure where we are with Aaron Millbank, as well.

“Also, Aaron Millbank is 6ft 1in whereas Mefose is 6ft 4in and still at an age where we think he can get better. In the right environment, we think he will be a real handful.

“Jack is someone I worked with in the Kent system with Alex Green. He’s someone I massively rate. He was in the Chatham side that got promoted out of their league when he was 18.

“He’s someone that people might not think is a massive name but, with Archie Hatcher going to America, we needed someone else to strengthen our midfield. They’re two players we have brought in from Step 5, but I know Step 5 well.

“You can see with our squad what players can do when adapting from Step 5 to Step 4, and I think Mefose and Jack will be two players that will be able to do that.”

It has been a busy start to the summer for Deal, who have already confirmed skipper Kane Smith, top scorer Tom Chapman, Ben Chapman, Josh Vincent, Jack Paxman, Alfie Foster, Macca Murray, Alex Green, Jack Penny, Ife Oni, Joe Reeves, Rory Smith, Ashley Miller, Max Niblett, Owen Wilkinson, Wes Hennessey, Zak Hammond, Morgan Page, Millbank, Jack Hanson and Kennedy are expected to stay.

“We try to get our house in order as soon as we can,” explained King, who has become the club’s director of football. “The best thing is we have managed to retain as many players as we could.

“We knew about Adam’s and Archie’s situations before the end of the season.

“That’s given us a really good base to start with. When you have that base, you know what you need to improve.

“We’ve been quite specific with what we’re targeting and we’re quite pleased with those we have signed so far.”

James Tonkin will also become the club’s No.1 once again, replacing Adam Molloy, who has left and re-signed for rivals Sheppey.

King, who hasn’t ruled out adding more experience to his squad, added: “We have got depth.

“We have, ultimately, retained the majority of our squad that came up and did well at Step 4. Plus, the new signings will have a full pre-season with us.

“I’m not a big believer in bringing in players that are just as good as what you have got. Obviously, we have got a talented young crop, as well, so what’s the point? The under-23s won their league with 12 wins on the bounce.

“So with those that are coming in, they need to improve us and play in an area where we don’t have a young player coming through.

“Mefose and Jack are players we have done our homework on. They might raise a few eyebrows because they’re not massive Step 4 names.

“But we feel they will add something that we don’t currently have.”

The Hoops’ new under-23s side won the Southern Counties East Development League East division with a 2-0 home win over Faversham last Thursday.

It comes a year after the club put together the team to replace their Reserves outfit.

King said: “Eight of the side that played on Thursday were under-18s. We had a 16-year-old, who is still doing his GCSEs, playing.

“I think some people raised their eyebrows when we went from the reserves to under-23s. But the average age of the reserves was 25.

“I’m not sure the average age in the under-23s, but it’s definitely not that high!

“We’re in the same league as Chatham and Maidstone, two big clubs, so winning the league wasn’t really the plan, to be honest. But provided they keep developing, these players will get opportunities. Owen Wilkinson, Lewis Page and Zak Hammond are the stand-out ones.

“But there’s also other players in that set-up that are doing really well and I’m really pleased to see that.”

Deal have confirmed their pre-season schedule.

They will start at recently-relegated Hythe on Tuesday, July 8, with trips to Dover (July 11), Hollands & Blair (July 19) and Ramsgate (July 26) also planned.

Their home warm-up fixtures will see a Gillingham XI (July 15), Kennington (July 22), Lordswood (July 29) and Minster (August 2) head to the Charles Sports Ground.