Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders rules out chances of keeping Jordan Greenidge but first summer signings are close

Tonbridge won’t be signing top scorer Jordan Greenidge on a permanent deal this summer.

Greenidge scored 17 goals on loan from Hemel Hempstead as Angels finished ninth in National South.

The 23-year-old played the best football of his career at Longmead but a transfer hasn’t been discussed.

“Jordan’s got a lot of interest, which is always going to be the case when he scored the goals he did at his age, so I’ve left that one,” said manager Jay Saunders.

“He knows I’m an admirer of him but, at the same time, he wants to try and play as high as he can.

“One thing I don’t mind when I’m speaking to players is when they say they want to play higher.

“Good luck to them. That’s the attitude players should have. I hate seeing players drop levels when they should be playing higher.

“You’ve got to play as high as you can, for as long as you can.”

Greenidge may be off the agenda but Tonbridge are closing in on their first summer signings.

Saunders has been busy speaking to transfer targets as he looks to build on the club’s record finish.

It can be a difficult time of year as players keep their options open but Angels are making decent progress.

“I’ve had some really good conversations,” said Saunders.

“I’d like to think by Saturday or Sunday we’ll have one or two over the line and I’m still speaking to one or two of last season’s squad.”

Striker Tommy Wood is the latest player to commit his future to Tonbridge.

The 24-year-old returned to Longmead from Hampton in February but was behind Greenidge in the pecking order.

Saunders said: “He came back at a difficult time when he wasn’t fully up to speed where he hadn’t been playing at Hampton and Jordan was playing well and scoring goals.

“We had a good chat and he felt he wasn’t fit