James Akintunde is focusing on making sure he is in top condition for next season after being handed a new one-year deal at Chester FC.

The 21-year-old striker was sidelined for six months with ligament damage sustained following a training ground injury in October but battled back to fitness to feature in the last four games of the season.

The Londoner, who signed for the club last summer following a successful trial spell, scored three goals for Chester during a tough Vanarama National League season.

But he showed Blues boss Jon McCarthy enough to offer him fresh terms for next season.

“I am just going to go away over the summer and get my body right and make sure that when I come back my body is in great shape,” said the former Cambridge United striker.

“I’m not going to stop, I’m going to keep on going.

“Hopefully I won’t get injured! The injury last season was a training injury that I couldn’t really stop and I just want to be fit and stay strong, that’s my plan. The injury was quite demoralising but I have to be grateful for the people around me, they kept me motivated and kept my head up.”

James Akintunde and Blues boss Jon McCarthy

With 17-goal striker James Alabi set to depart the Blues, with Dagenham & Redbridge understood to be ready to step up their interest, Akintunde is hoping he can get among the goals next season and kick on in the same way as Alabi.

“Me and James are close, he has 17 goals and is a really good player,” added Akintunde.

“As a striker you need to get goals and he did and hopefully he moves on higher, and that is my plan as well. If I can get some goals next season then you never know."

And Akintunde was full of praise for manager McCarthy, who came under fire from some sections of supporters towards the end of the season as the Blues finished the season in miserable form.

He said: “He has been a great manager. It is easy to throw people under the bus when they are injured but he kept faith in me the whole time. He has been good for me.”