Mansfield Town have fought off interest from a number of clubs to capture highly-rated striker Ollie Palmer from Havant & Waterlooville for an undisclosed fee.
Palmer, 21, was both top scorer and 'Player of the Year' in the Conference South last term, bagging 25 goals for The Hawks, who finished mid-table.
European heavyweights Chelsea are reported to have kept tabs on the youngster, who struck on 38 occasions in 62 starts for Havant & Waterlooville.
The youngster also netted on 15 occasions for Havant in the 2011/12 campaign, after joining the club from Woking in September 2011.
It was with Woking where Palmer started his career, as he progressed through the youth ranks and made a handful of first team appearances in the 2010/11 season.
Palmer’s stunning goal-scoring exploits have seen him linked with moves to a whole host of clubs at a higher level over the past 18 months.
Speaking about his new challenge, Palmer said: “I’ll ‘run myself into the ground’ and will work really hard for the team.
“Mansfield have given me the opportunity to perform in the league, which is something I have always dreamt about.”
