Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler is focused on building the spine of his new-look side with centre-back Jake Goodman having agreed to stay at the club.

Goodman, supporters’ player-of-the-year last season, was offered fresh terms for the 2022/23 campaign alongside fellow defender Danny Collinge - and Hessenthaler expects him to remain at Crabble.

Hessenthaler said: “He had a good season, he was consistent. Along with Danny Collinge, he was very consistent.

“I would like to keep Danny but we appreciate he may have other offers.

“But Jake is part of the spine, we have got to build that spine.

“We have signed the young players for next season. They are under contract and they showed they’re capable in the league above.

“But we can’t just have young players. We need the likes of Goodman to be part of the team with them.”

Hessenthaler also revealed he had been eager to keep playmaker Koby Arthur - but he has agreed to remain in the National League, joining Maidenhead.

He is one of eight players Whites recently announced had left alongside player-coach Reda Johnson, midfielders TJ Bramble, Marshall Wratten, James Caton and Travis Gregory, full-back Seth Twumasi and keeper Josh Bexon.

“It was always going to be difficult to keep him,” Hessenthaler said of Arthur.

“Reda wants to concentrate on his coaching. We didn’t get him on the pitch as much as we would have liked last year.

“We’ve made an offer to Danny Collinge - we’re waiting on him. Jake Goodman should sign this week, he wants to stay. Alexis [Andre Jr], the goalkeeper, we have made an offer to him.

“Obviously, they are going to have other options, but we can only give them so much time. But there’s no panic yet.

“I have been talking to players. As you can imagine, we have been calling players who have become available.

“I have met three players this week. One has decided to go somewhere else. One I have made an offer to and we are waiting on him. The other, I have got to talk to his agent.

“But we are not going to rush and sign players.

"We have got to get the players that fit the model of [training] three mornings a week.”

Caton and Gregory struggled for game time last season after suffering with injuries.

Hessenthaler added: “We need players on the pitch and, unfortunately, they both got bad injuries.

"They are both 100% capable but to re-sign them would be a risk.”

But while Antigua and Barbuda international Bramble was named on the released list, he - and full-back Myles Judd - have been invited back for pre-season.

“Myles has got a knee problem which worries me. I’m going to speak to him,” said Hessenthaler.

“TJ, I would like to keep him. He has had that problem with his back but he has gone away with his national team and played [in a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe].

“I would like to keep him but he might have other options.”

Hessenthaler says it’s unlikely another coach will join himself and assistant Nicky Southall following former Sheffield Wednesday defender Johnson's departure.

He said: “Maybe [we will bring in] a player-coach but probably not. But I’m going to speak to the chairman [Jim Parmenter].

“Maybe we need a goalkeeping coach and, even if it’s for one day a week, a fitness coach again.”