CHERRIES striker Jayden Stockley has signed a pre-contract arrangement with Scottish Premiership runners-up Aberdeen.

The 22-year-old Poole-born hitman enjoyed a fruitful spell on loan at League Two Exeter City last season, becoming his temporary club’s top scorer with 10 goals from 22 outings.

Stockley, a product of the Cherries youth set-up, shot to prominence during his formative years having made his senior debut at the age of 16 in October 2009.

Grecians boss Paul Tisdale made no secret of his desire to sign Stockley, whose Cherries contract expires at the end of the season, but as reported by the Daily Echo yesterday, the lure of European football with the Dons persuaded him to head north of the border.

Stockley told Aberdeen’s official website: “To get the opportunity to be involved in European football was a big part of coming here and the plans the manager outlined for the future are really exciting."

He made a total of 16 Football League appearances for Cherries, 15 from the bench, with his only goals for the club arriving in the Football League Trophy, a brace in a 4-1 win over Hereford in August 2011.

Stockley had spells on loan at Accrington, Woking, Leyton Orient, Torquay, Cambridge United and Luton prior to this season which was spent at Portsmouth and Exeter.