Vale’s deadline day signing as as much for the future as we look to the end of the campaign
It has been a couple of days now since the summer transfer window slammed shut until we turn into the new year and hit January, and Port Vale may well have been frugal on a financial front, but between permanent moves, and then season long loan deals, we have arguably strengthened the squad a fair bit.
Two of the highlight signings may well be the loan deal for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alfie Devine, not a lot of game experience but he has often been trusted to be an option off the bench in the Spurs squad, and then we get to 24 year old Mitch Clark. The Welshman comes in with far better game experience and he has been at Vale Park before, numerous times in fact, on loan spells, the first of which being when he was at Aston Villa having come through their Academy set up.
We were not finished late on during deadline day either, as 25 year old striker Ryan Loft came in for an undisclosed fee (presumably just a nominal one as most media outlets called it a free transfer) from Bristol Rovers. He is also a former Tottenham Hotspur Academy graduate, but he has really only got himself going on a goal front in recent seasons, so some fans may well see him as a gamble akin to play casino online, but he could well turn out to be a very frugal gamble that could pay off massively for us.
Manager Andy Crosby said of the deal bringing him in.
“I am excited to welcome Ryan into our group. He adds a different profile to the strikers we have currently in our squad. Ryan is at a good age where he is still developing as a player and we look forward to welcoming him into an environment where he will have all of the required tools at his disposal to fulfill his obvious potential and flourish.”
Listening to the words of the manager, whilst it seems clear we believe he can do a job for us now, even at 25 years old, it seems like he is a capture with a greater mind to his development in the next few seasons.
That seemed to be echoed by Director of Football, David Flitcroft, who went on to add that he had been a long term target for us, so we had certainly done our homework on his strengths and weaknesses as a player right now.
“We have been chasing Ryan throughout the summer, so I am delighted to finally be able to say that he is now a Port Vale player. Ryan’s attributes will improve the squad’s quality at the top end of the pitch with his willingness to run unselfishly for the team, creating space or pressing the opposition aggressively. His holdup will be an important part of progressing the team up the pitch and linking our midfield and attacking unit.”
Referring again to what our management staff believe he could develop into with the right help, Flitcroft added.
“We feel that our environment can give Ryan a platform where he can develop his game through the support of the manager and his backroom team. I believe that we are the club to allow Ryan to realise his potential. I would like to go on record and thank Ryan’s agent Chris Dolan for all his help and support in working to get this deal done.”
Having only come in for the final four minutes in the victory over Oxford United as he made his substitute debut, Lowe will be hoping for a starting spot to really get himself going with us when we welcome Northampton to our ground later in the month.