Gillingham manager Neil Harris admits it’s unlikely highly-rated youngster Josh Chambers will be signing for the club.

A professional deal has been on the table for the teenager all summer after being promoted to the senior side last season while still in the youth team.

• More: Gills start pre-season with a win

Chambers came off the bench to make his debut in the Football League for the Gills at Doncaster in March and was a surprise starter at Sunderland the following month.

Despite making those two EFL appearances for the Gills and being highly thought of by Harris, it’s looking likely the midfielder will be playing elsewhere next season.

“I can’t imagine Josh will be at the football club,” Harris said on Saturday.

“We have offered him a great contract, I have personally gone to great lengths to (say I) want him to stay but if players don’t want to play for our football club, then that is their decision.”

Harris is keen to give youngsters a chance and named eight of the club’s second year scholars in the squad at Folkestone on Saturday. Defender Sam Gale and striker Joe Gbode started.

With new goalkeeper Jake Turner not named for the friendly, there was a place in the second half side for former Dover academy goalkeeper Taite Holtam, who has joined the Gills on the youth programme.

Commenting on the youth involvement, Harris said: “It is important that we don’t judge the academy lads too quickly, the fans will have seen bright sparks, they would have seen a couple of players not at their best, some will be thinking, ‘he is good, he could be around the first team.’

“I like some of the players, some of them have potential and it is down to the staff to make them better but this is a great opportunity, while we are light on numbers.

"What an opportunity for the football club to showcase some of the players that we have got, and what an opportunity for them to go and play infront of 1,000 people and play in a first team environment. That is what pre-season is for and some of them again will no doubt get an opportunity at Dover (this coming Saturday) and it is down to them to impress again.”