Chorley turned down a new deal at Tranmere to join Leyton Orient

League One side Leyton Orient have beaten off competition from a number of other clubs to sign defender Ben Chorley from Tranmere Rovers.

The 26-year-old returns to London on a two-year deal, having started his career as a trainee at Arsenal.

Orient chief executive Matt Porter told BBC London 94.9: "There were eight clubs in for him. Tranmere moved heaven and earth to keep him."

Chorley made 89 appearances for Rovers after leaving MK Dons in 2007.

Porter added that O's manager Geraint Williams deserved a lot of credit for persuading Chorley, who has also had loan spells at Brentford and Gillingham, to move to Brisbane Road.

"If you'd seen the list on paper, you'd say 'why has he come to Leyton Orient?'," said Porter.

If you ask anybody who knows their League One football, they'll tell you he's one of the best defenders out there Matt Porter

"But Ben's come down and spoken to Geraint, he's seen the ambition that we've got, how Geraint wants to build the team and how we want to play football next year.

"If you ask anybody who knows their League One football, they'll tell you he's one of the best defenders out there."

The signing of Chorley comes a day after midfielder Sean Thornton signed a new one-year contract with the club.

He is the second new arrival at Orient this summer, after experienced striker Scott McGleish joined the club on a permanent basis in May following a successful loan spell.

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