WARRINGTON Town boss Paul Carden is confident top scorer Jamie McDonald will remain with the club next season.

After signing from City of Liverpool part way through last term, the striker was an instant hit with Yellows fans and finished the campaign with 17 goals.

Nine of those strikes came in the club’s run to the last 16 of the FA Trophy and his impressive adjustment to a higher level has attracted interest from elsewhere.

Last week, the 25-year-old attended trials at the V9 Academy – the brainchild of Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy – which has led to players being picked up by professional clubs.

Carden says McDonald told him he intended to remain at Cantilever Park, but says he will not stand in his way if a chance came up for him to play at a higher level.

“Jamie has told me he doesn’t want to go anywhere. He wants to be here,” said the Yellows manager.

“He went to Vardy last week but I think it was more about the experience for him than anything else.

“If something comes of it, great, but I’m confident he will be here next year.

“I’m not one to stand in the way of players. It happened to me during my career and I told myself when I went into management that I’d help players in that way.

“When it became evident Liam Goulding was going to move on, I phoned up Phil Parkinson (Altrincham manager) and helped that deal along.

“If players aren’t going to stay with us, I want to make sure they go to the best possible place.

“That was the case with Liam and I will do the same with Jamie.”

Yellows’ recruitment drive began in earnest last week with the additions of winger Lewis Nightingale and defender Alex Honeyball.

More new recruits should follow shortly as Town aim to get additions on board in time for their return to pre-season training on July 5.

However, Carden says the other end of the field is his next key priority as he looks to secure a “solid, long-term goalkeeper.”

Luke Pilling, who ended the season in possession of Town’s number one shirt, returned to parent club Tranmere Rovers following the end of his loan spell, while experienced custodian Tony McMillan has moved on.

Young stopper Ben Ascroft, who played in both games Yellows played against Ebbsfleet United as they dumped the National League side out of the FA Trophy, is an option but he too has offers from elsewhere.

“We don’t want to be bringing keepers in on a short-term basis,” Carden said.

“It is important that we bring in a solid, long-term goalkeeper. That is certainly a priority.

“We may look into the long-term loan market and maybe bring someone in on a season-long loan.

“We’d like to keep Ben, but he has a good offer on the table from another club.

“Ben wants to be first choice and I understand that, so we’ll see what comes of it.”