East Kilbride boss Kevin Rutkiewicz says it's a major boost to keep 'maverick' striker Joao Victoria at the club, and offsets the loss of Chris Erskine.
Rutkiewicz says the Portuguese hitman played a huge role at the club, and believes he has a '60-goal' forward line in Victoria, Neilly McLaughlin and Cami Elliott.
The former Aberdeen and St Johnstone defender reckons the Lowland League is going to be a challenge next season, but keeping the 33-year-old at the club is a major boost.
And he says Victoria plays with a freedom that other players just don't show.
He said: "I think it's great. We had disappointing news with the talks with Chris breaking down, which was just the structure of the deal, more than anything.
"Joao was the perfect pick-me-up to that, he's a player that I like, a bit of a maverick, and he's capable of doing things a wee bit left-of-centre, let's say!
"He'll frustrate you sometimes, but his goal-return has been excellent.
"Right now, as it sits, the comfort that Bill [Orr, assistant] and I have got and through all the good work that has been done before at this club, we're sitting with 60 goals there in the front three, with attacking midfielder Neilly McLaughlin, Cami and Joao.
"We can only judge them on what they've done together, but that's what they have done together.
"We're hopping on the coat-tails of some great work that has been done before, and we're certainly not looking to break that up, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Rutkiewicz is clearly an admirer of Victoria, and said: "Joao has a personality when he plays, he really has. He plays with that wee bit of freedom that other players sometimes struggle to show, but he just seems to have that composure to treat it like a game that you and I would have played if we were pals on the street.
"He has that wee gift to tone it all down, sound out the noise, and he just plays, so I'm thrilled."
East Kilbride have also promoted five players from their under-21s to the first-team pool for pre-season, in Ross Taylor, Aidan McDonald, Ross Smith, Reece McGuire and Aidan Fellowes.
Rutkiewicz says it shows others that the K-Park club are eager to give youth a chance.
He said: "I'm pleased with that. Potentially a couple could go out on loan, to accelerate their development, for game-time and stuff, but they're signed first and foremost to join us pre-season, and we'll check on their development.
"We're not going to come in here and get rid of some potential gems, that's for sure, so I'm delighted with all of those young lads.
"They feel they have a good future here, a realistic future here, and it's good to keep that thread.
"I think there were 13 debuts last season, and that won't happen every season, but obviously the pressure is on any manager to continue that and show that we're a club that want to develop and give young guys a chance."
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