Ashford are working on a deal to keep midfielder Michael West at the club for next season.

West is currently on loan at the Nuts & Bolts from Southern Counties East outfit Whitstable.

He’s impressed in his time at Homelands and manager Lloyd Hume expects the former Crewe man to become a permanent addition.

“We see him as part of our club,” said Hume.

“We’ll definitely be doing a deal to keep him next year.

“I’ve agreed that with him and he wants to stay.

“I’ve just got to sort out the finer details with Whitstable.”

West missed last weekend’s 2-2 Isthmian South East draw at Broadbridge Heath with a hamstring injury.

He’s also set to sit out the home game against Eastbourne Town this Saturday (3pm).

Ashford have signed striker Tahjae Anderson from Southern League Hungerford.

He’s has been training with the Nuts & Bolts and is available for the Eastbourne game.

“He’s a big, strong, powerful centre-forward who’s quick, so he gives us good options,” said Hume.

“He was out injured at Hungerford and they were trying to get him out on loan but he kept getting reoccurrences.

“He’s been fit for a month now, he’s been training since I’ve been in and we’ve just been trying to sort out his paperwork.”

Anderson has been joined by young forward Sammi Takaloo, who’s arrived from Hythe.

He’s the son of ex-Ashford striker Mo Takaloo, a prolific goalscorer under Hume’s management when Maidstone won back-to-back Kent League and Isthmian Division 1 South titles.

“He’s a different player to his dad,” said Hume, as he looks to build a squad for next season.

“The first thing I got told about him was he’s really quick.

“He’s more of a wide forward who’s quick and has quick feet, whereas Mo was more of a predator in front of goal for me.

“I’d love another Mo, that’s for sure, and if he turns out half as good as his dad then we’ve got a good signing.

“Mo contacted me a couple of times about Sammi.

“I went and watched him and he’s got some really good attributes but he’s also got some learning to do.

“Like a lot of youngsters when they play in these forward roles, they’re all good when they’ve got the ball at their feet and they’re running at people.

“But when they’re out of possession, what do they do to affect the game and help the team?

“That’s the important thing he’s going to have to learn.”

Ashford have also brought Gillingham youngster Stanley Skipper back for a month and have seven-day approaches in for a couple of players.

There’s good news on the injury front, too, with defender Will Moses making his comeback at Broadbridge Heath, impressing in an unfamiliar midfield role, while left-back Joey Taylor was set to get minutes in a friendly on Tuesday.

Right-back Barry Fuller is also fit again after missing last weekend.

Louis Collins gave Ashford an early lead at Broadbridge but they needed Gary Lockyer’s second-half equaliser to rescue a point.

Hume wanted his side to build on the previous week’s 3-0 win over Deal but saw a mixed bag.

“Over the course of our season, that’s a game we inherently have lost,” he said.

“The attitude was great, the effort was great, the performance and responsibilities of roles wasn’t where I’d expect it to be.

“The frustrating thing is last week they took the instructions on board very clearly, they understood our game plan and executed it, so I find it hard to accept that the week after we don’t follow the same plan.

“For us to do it the week before tells me they understand the way we want to play.

“Yes, a few changes in personnel because of injuries is always going to disrupt that a little bit, but not to the extent I felt it did on Saturday.

“I also don’t want to be negative because we went away against a team that are decent enough, they’ve beaten a lot of the top sides, they beat us 3-0 at home, and we’ve got a point.”