Dominic Samuel will stay at Ebbsfleet next season after agreeing a new deal.

The 30-year-old striker was one of 12 players offered a contract for the 2024/25 season by Fleet boss Danny Searle.

It’s the first announcement by the club with more expected in the weeks ahead as they count down to returning for pre-season.

Former Gillingham and Blackburn striker Samuel made a big impression after linking up with the Fleet at the end of October.

Samuel scored on his debut at Hartlepool and also bagged vital winners against Maidenhead and Rochdale, as well as winning the club’s Goal of the Season award for his brilliant individual effort at Oldham.

“I want to score as many goals as I can and get into double figures as early as possible,” Samuel told FleetTV.

“As a team no-one wants to stay in the National League, everyone wants to aim higher.

“The majority of players have played in the league so now everyone can get together and with more players coming into the squad then I’m pretty sure this season will surprise a lot of teams. I wouldn’t be surprised if we finish in the play-offs.

“Before I came here the team weren’t doing great and when the new manager came in he changed everything. He gave me the confidence and reminded of stuff that I needed to do.

“As soon as he came in, he said if you don’t work hard you’re not going to play. Yeah, you need to have talent but work comes first.”

Samuel will again form part of a formidable strikeforce for the Fleet alongside top scorer Dominic Poleon and talisman Rakish Bingham.

“People say (about) competition in the striking spot, but it’s healthy competition,” noted Samuel. “All three of us can score goals and, if anything, it’s going to push us to do even better.

“Where we finished doesn’t look good from the outside looking in but we managed to get the job done. (With) the players that we’ve got, we can make great things happen for this club so I’m excited to see where it goes.

“I came in at the end of October so I will still playing catch-up with fitness. This year it gives me a chance to get a good pre-season with the boys, get me up to match sharpness as quickly as possible and hit the ground running.”

Samuel scored six goals in 23 appearances for the Fleet but missed the final five league games of the season after picking up an injury at Dagenham on Easter Monday.