TRANMERE Rovers' preparations for the new season continued today with the signing of striker James Alabi on a two-year contract. 

The 22-year-old comes to Prenton Park from National League side Chester FC, where he spent 18 months, scoring 23 goals from 53 starts.

The deal signed today means he will be at Prenton Park the end of the 2018-19 season.

Alabi came through the Academy system at Stoke City and although unable to make the breakthrough into the first team at the Potteries club, he gained experience of senior football with loans at the likes of Scunthorpe United, Mansfield Town and Accrington Stanley.

After leaving Stoke City, Alabi joined Ipswich Town at the beginning of the 2015-16 season after impressing during a trial at the club and netted on his debut for The Tractor Boys in a 4-1 victory at Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup.

Midway through that season, he left Portman Road to join Chester FC and last term he was the club’s leading goalscorer with 17 league goals to his name.

Rovers manager Micky Mellon said: "I'm delighted that James has agreed to join us.

"He is different to the attacking options we already have so it makes us flexible tactically and will enable us to play in different ways as and when we need to.

"James is a good age and his goalscoring record stands up for itself, so we have plenty of firepower from all the strikers at the club."