Maidstone United manager George Elokobi on top scorer Levi Amantchi’s future | Stones boss shares how he'd have tried to stop the striker in his playing days

George Elokobi says Levi Amantchi deserves any interest that comes his way but is confident the striker is happy at Maidstone.

Amantchi is enjoying the season of his life at the Gallagher Stadium, scoring 18 goals already.

He’s flourished under the management of Elokobi and Craig Fagan and his form will inevitably alert scouts looking for a non-league gem.

His tools go way beyond an eye for goal, with his size, pace, and power adding to the appeal - and he’s only 22.

Stones boss Elokobi wants to keep developing Amantchi, whose latest goal earned a 1-0 win at Chelmsford on Monday night.

“As far as I know, he’s happy here,” said Elokobi.

“He’s happy, we look after him, we keep developing him.

“If we’ve got interest externally, that’s fine - he deserves that.

“But we’ve got a plan for Levi Amantchi and he’s going to keep developing.

“As long as he’s enjoying his football with us and he’s enjoying improving as a young player, that’s all we care about at this moment in time.

“As a management team or a football club, we have never stood in anyone’s way if they want to leave but I don’t think that’s the case with Levi.

“He’s a humble young man, he knows the plan from when we spoke in the summer and showed an interest in him.

“It’s a long-term plan, a long-term project for him, so long may that continue but I can’t look too far ahead.”

Amantchi has had a knack of being in the right place at the right time in the box all season.

But his work outside the area is improving all the time and he’s so awkward to play against.

So, how would Elokobi have handled him in his playing days?

“I would get as many defenders close to me, get my midfielders to be there, and try to drop off a couple of yards to give myself a head start against