Chester FC chief executive Mark Maguire has expressed his delight at the club’s summer transfer business.

But there are unlikely to be any more new signings until the future of want-away top scorer James Alabi is decided.

As of last night the Blues were still waiting to receive a formal offer for the 22-year-old striker.

Chester will be entitled to compensation for Alabi, who has rejected the offer of a new contract, as he is under the age of 24.

The future of James Alabi is still to be decided

And once the Blues agree a deal for the England C international they will press on with putting the finishing touches to their revamped squad.

Jon McCarthy is keen to tie down midfielder Lucas Dawson to a permanent contract as well as secure back-up in defence and in goal.

Maguire will do everything he can to ensure the Chester boss gets the players he wants.

But for now he has declared himself extremely satisfied at the quality and the character of the club’s eight new acquisitions.

“I’m delighted with the additions and I’m delighted with the feel around the place,” said Maguire, who tomorrow celebrates one year in the job.

“We knew what we needed to do two or three months before the end of the season and, from my perspective, it was a really frustrating period of just waiting and desperate for the season to end so we could get on with it.

“We promised ourselves to let the actions speak for themselves in the first few weeks of the close season.

“That’s very much what we did and the fact that we’ve managed to attract such quality players, with good characters, which is one of the main things we were looking for, is very pleasing and exciting.

“We’ve got players in now who, if are things are going against you, will pull it up by the bootlaces and impose themselves on games.

“That was very much a trait the manager was looking for and he’s very much succeeded.”

McCarthy’s summer signings have caught the eye with Barrow AFC boss Paul Cox yesterday picking out the Blues’ recruitment as an example of how competitive he believes the Vanarama National League will be this season.

And Maguire added: “When I sat down with Jon almost a year ago, one of the things I said to him is the sooner we start to act like a Football League club, the sooner we will become one.

“And the kind of things Jon has put in place behind the scenes, and how we act as a club more generally, and the fact that we’re now leaning toward 52-week contracts rather than 44-week contracts enhances our reputation.

“It makes players want to come and be part of that environment and, pleasingly, that’s been an important part of our recruitment, as that’s been said to us by some of the players who have joined.”

Andy Halls was snapped up from league rivals Macclesfield Town

Maguire admits it may be ‘a week or two’ before McCarthy makes his next addition.

And, when asked for the latest on Alabi, he said: “We’re just waiting for a club or James to make contact and say they’ve chosen a certain location and then we’ll start discussions.

“I imagine it can’t be too long now as James will want to start his pre-season training somewhere. Things could develop pretty quickly on that front.”

Chester turned down a bid for Alabi from League Two Barnet in January.