Arsenal forward and ex-Brighton youngster complete Eastbourne Borough squad

The duo seem likely to have completed Beard’s new-look Sports squad for their bid to win promotion out of National League South, having gone full-time under new owner Simon Leslie.

Versatile forward Stefan Vukoje has signed subject to international clearance. He has been training at Priory Lane for the past few weeks, and was impressive in the pre-season win over Aldershot Town where he scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win.

He is reunited with boss Beard after playing under him at Brighton & Hove Albion as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2018. Over his two years as an U18 for the Seagulls he played 43 times – scoring 12 in 19 games in 2019/20, before making the step up to the U23 Development squad. There he made 13 appearances in Premier League 2 and played in all three of Albion’s EFL Trophy games.

After his release from Brighton at the end of the 2020/21 season, he joined SSU Politehnica Timisoara in Romania. Last season he played his football in Serbia for second tier side Sloboda Uzice before returning to England and play under Beard once again.

“I actually was manager of Brighton Under 18s when we brought him from Luton Town for £50,000,” Beard told the EBFC website. “I have always loved the way he plays, he is an exciting player who will lift the crowd every time he is on the ball.

“He is a forward but is also comfortable playing in midfield and fits in perfectly with the style of football we play.”

Young forward Billy Vigar has joined on a season-long loan from Arsenal. A powerful forward with plenty of aerial ability, Billy overcame an injury-plagued first half of the 2021/22 season to become a key player at under-18 level, scoring four times from 14 starts in the league.

He demonstrated his versatility with a stint as a right winger, as well as a right wing back and signed professional terms with the club in July 2022.

The Worthing-born front man joined Derby County in January 2023 on loan for the remainder of the season, where he featured in the second half of the Rams’ Premier League 2 campaign.

Boss Mark Beard told the Borough website: “Billy is a player I have admired for a long time and we are lucky that we have been able to agree a deal with Arsenal to sign him. He is a quality centre forward who is very intelligent. Billy’s movement, passing and finishing are top class.

“Along with Steff (Vukoje), they are both great additional signings to the team, and have both settled in brilliantly this week in Wales.”

Borough return to Priory Lane on Saturday for their penultimate friendly of the pre-season programme - against Charlton Athletic.

Beard declared himself "more than happy" with preparations after the Sports completed a five-day training camp in Wales on Wednesday.

"We had a terrific stay, with lots of hard work, tactical discussion and analysis, and rounded it off with a very useful friendly against Merthyr Town. We had to dodge the Welsh rain once or twice, but that was all part of the exercise!” he said