DANNY Whitaker is expected to be unveiled as a Port Vale player in the next 24 hours.

The Silkmen midfielder is set to reject a new deal at the Moss Rose and join the League One club. Valiants chairman Bill Bratt hopes to announce the 25-year-old's signing when Vale report back for pre-season training today (Thursday).

Vale admitted they have been in talks with Town's player of the season, and Bratt said yesterday (Tuesday): "We have offered several players deals and I'm reasonably confident that we will secure three of the five players we have been after.

"These players will be exciting for the club and will bring something extra. I would be happy to get two midfielders and a striker."

The news that Whitaker will follow Paul Harsley to Vale Park will come as a bitter blow for Brian Horton.

The Macclesfield Town boss was desperate to keep the Wilmslow-born player and offered him an improved two-year deal to keep him with the Silkmen until 2009.

But Horton has been unable to contact out-of-contract Whitaker, who rejected a new deal last season, since returning from holiday three weeks ago.

There was better news for the Cheshire club after forward John Miles put pen to paper on a new one-year contract. The 24-year-old made 28 appearances for the Silkmen last season, although more than half of those were as a substitute - something he is keen to address next campaign.

"I am really pleased to be staying at the Moss Rose for another year, and can't wait to get started on the new season," said the former Liverpool trainee.

"I'd like to play a lot more games for the team and hopefully we'll be much more successful than we were last season."

Promising midfielder Izak Reid has signed professional terms at Macclesfield.

"It's a dream come to true," said the Silkmen trainee. "My main aim is to establish myself and play as many games for the team that I can."