Leyton Orient are desperately looking to find a solution to keep young striker Ruel Sotiriou at the club for a longer period.

The 19-year-old has yet to sign a new deal at the Brisbane Road club after his contract was due to expire on June, 30, but due to coming through the academy remains on a rolling contract and is now back in training with the O’s.

He made nine appearances last term after his debut on Boxing Day and went on to score six goals in that time before the season was cut short due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

But he is now attracting interest from a number of clubs due to his impressive performance for Orient and his brieft loan spell at National League outfit Dover Athletic.

“Martin (Ling) told everybody exactly where we stand and where Ruel stands currently at the moment when he didn’t come in last week,” Head coach Ross Embleton told the club website.

“We’re pleased we’ve got him in, I think for everybody involved it’s important that Ruel is back and in this environment, I think it’s important right now and he knows that.

“We want Ruel to sign here, we want Ruel to play here, he’s obviously got to want to sign here and the circumstances have got to be right by him but he has been a player at this club for a very long time.

“He’s come through the academy, the academy that we’re all proud of and love to see players coming through that process and into the first-team, which is what Ruel has done.

“We’d like to continue that and continue to see him playing in the first-team and scoring goals.”

If Sotiriou does opt to depart the club for pastures new the O’s would be entitled to a compensation payment despite his contract expiring due to his age and coming through the club’s academy.

“The way that it works and lies at the moments is because he has come through our academy there is compensation rights that the club hold, so in order for that we maintain the current contract he’s on, and we’re continuously working to try finding a solution.”