Not for sale – Port Vale are dealt major transfer blow
Port Vale are unlikely to be able to sign on loan midfielder Jake Taylor on a permanent basis according to reports.
The Stoke Sentinel newspaper reports that Championship side Nottingham Forest have rejected Port Vale’s latest bid for the goalscoring midfielder.
Taylor, 21, has been in impressive form since joining the club on the 30th August. As Taylor is out of contract in the summer, Vale were encouraged to make a bid to sign the player on a permanent basis but the newspaper claims that Forest will now be offering the midfielder a new contract towards the end of this season.
With Jake, Forest are going to keep him. They have an option on him and they can see potential in keeping him and a value to him more than we can afford…
The Valiants could still look to secure Taylor’s services on loan until the end of the season but a permanent move during the January transfer window now looks to be highly unlikely.
In another blow for the club, Taylor has picked up a knee injury and is expected to be out for three weeks – meaning he is unlikely to play before his initial loan spell ends on the 18th January. He joins Adam Crookes and Manny Oyeleke on the sidelines.
Manager John Askey told the newspaper: “With Jake, Forest are going to keep him. They have an option on him and they can see potential in keeping him and a value to him more than we can afford.
“We are still hopeful we will be able to keep him until the end of the season. So, barring Forest wanting stupid money then hopefully we can keep him.
“But we are still hopeful we will be able to keep him until the end of the season. So, barring Forest wanting stupid money then hopefully we can keep him.”
In the longer-term Vale may now look to at least win the race to retain the player on loan and then re-assess their options at the end of the season.
As a youngster, Taylor is unlikely to be on an average Championship salary and therefore out of Vale’s price range. So ultimately it could come down to whether the player opts for immediate first-team football with Vale or has a longer term approach of trying to break into a Championship side.
Jake Taylor at Vale Park this season
Age: 21
Games: 25
Goals: 7