Sutton United assistant boss Steve West has revealed the signing of youngster Jerson Dos Santos signalled the end of striker Walid Mutata’s brief stint with the club.

The 17-year-old penned first team terms this week, which saw Mutata and Steffan Gaisie head for the exit door with four strikers already on the books at United.

Their depature takes the number of players let go from Gander Green Lane in recent weeks to three following last week’s exit of young defender Dean Sammutt.

Boss Paul Doswell was unable to guarantee the trio regular starting slots in the side and felt it was in their interests to look elsewhere for first team action.

And West, who himself can play up front and at centre-back, believes the versatility of the current crop of players meant competition for places would inevitably leave some frozen out.

“With Jerson signing there are four strikers here and it was obvious Walid probably wasn’t going to start the season as first choice,” he said.

“With the budget we have we cannot afford players to be hit and miss and it didn’t make sense to have someone of his calibre on the bench.

“The same can be said for Dean. He is a young kid. There are others who can play right back in the squad and you don’t tend to bring players off the bench to play that position.

“It has been a case of doing the right thing for ourselves as well as the players.”

Dos Santos has just returned from a two-week trial with Premier League side Portsmouth and West reckons the youngster is better off at Sutton for the time being at least.

“We felt that if he had a good season with us and scores goals he will get his move anyway,” he added.

“Playing at this level will help him more than getting lost in the academy of a pro club. He has got a very good chance of making the step up into the pro game and progress can be made here.”

West is taking his first steps into management and coaching after a distinguished non-league career with the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge and Woking.

And he is excited by the side’s chances of success this season.

He said: “There is a very good mix of very, very hungry, youthful and experienced players here.

“On top of that there are some very good footballers here and to be part of that is very good for me at this stage of my career.”