Altrincham have included Chris Conn-Clarke on their retained list for next season, but are growing increasingly fearful they may lose him to a Football League club before the campaign gets under way.

The brilliant attacking midfielder deservedly won a place in the National League team of the season, after topping Alty’s scoring charts with 23 goals, and equally unsurprisingly featured on the Robins’ retained list when it was made public on Wednesday afternoon.

But, predictably, his exceptional form in an outstanding campaign for the team as a whole has attracted mounting interest from clubs who have closely monitored his ability to unlock defences with a pinpoint pass and score goals at a prolific rate.

There has even been interest from clubs in the Championship, as well as Leagues One and Two, and while the Robins will do their best to fend it off, they fear it may prove a losing battle.

The 12 assists Conn-Clarke supplied alongside his 23 goals gave him the best attacking stats in the league, which should at least ensure a substantial fee for Alty if he does move on 12 months after arriving on a free.

Manager Phil Parkinson confirmed the uncertainty over the 22-year old’s future by saying: “I would love to reassure everyone that Chris will still be with us next season, but in all honesty I can’t.

“When a player does what he has done, in terms of goals and assists, the bigger clubs are going to come calling, and it’s very difficult to stop that natural next step happening.

“If he is still with us at the start of next season, I will have the biggest smile on my face you have ever seen. If not, I won’t exactly be amazed.”

Ethan Ross, Eddy Jones, Lewis Baines, Jake Cooper, Sam Roscoe, Isaac Marriott, Alex Newby, Olly Crankshaw, Lewis Banks, George Wilson, Regan Linney and Justin Amaluzor have all been retained, as well as Conn-Clarke, while Elliot Osborne, Matty Kosylo, Matt Gould and Owen German have been offered new deals. Dan Mooney has been released.