Transfer window business will give an indication of Vale’s promotion potential
There’s only a matter of days left for the August transfer window yet Rob Fielding predicts it could be a busy period for the Valiants.
Rob Fielding writes…
So, it’s “goodbye JJ” but “hello” to who exactly? We’ve yet to know but we can be fairly certain that there will be at least one new arrival to come. Vale have been linked with left-backs and goalkeepers but it’s the composition of the front three that is arguably the most pressing concern.
It’s the composition of the front three that is arguably the most pressing concern…
Owner Norman Smurthwaite and manager Bruno Ribeiro have made no secret of their desire to obtain a new striker and winger and those moves certainly make sense to me. JJ Hooper’s exit leaves us with only three senior strikers while arguably the service to the frontman that a winger could provide is even more crucial if Vale are to consistently score goals.
However, it’s not just new arrivals that could make this a busy period for the Valiants. I would strongly expect that Vale will be looking to ship out some of the fringe members of their squad. Ryan Lloyd, Sam Johnson and Hooper have already moved and Ribeiro will surely be happy to see the likes of Boot, Gibbons and Turner pick up first-team experience elsewhere. It will also be interested to see if fringe members such as Sam Kelly and Sebastian Amoros stay and fight for a start or go out on loan to get regular football.
One thing is for sure, at the end of the window we’ll all have a far clearer view of whether Vale can genuinely challenge for a top-six spot. The two forward signings are crucial and I hope Ribeiro gets the right players in.
At the moment, the Valiants may not be top tips for promotion on websites such as Free Super Tips but with the addition of a couple of quality forwards in the coming days, they may just be a significant step closer to genuine promotion contention…