Deal Town manager Steve King explains the summer signings of midfielder Jack Palmby and striker Mefose Esumobi

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 on 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 the Deal boss has already 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,