Could Vale Return To Villa For Another Young Talent?

The 2023/24 League One campaign turned into a pretty disastrous one for loyal Port Vale fans, but with manager Darren Moore coming in as Andy Crosby’s ultimate replacement in the dug out in mid February, although the 51 year old former Jamaican international centre half could not stop us from suffering the drop into League Two, he helped to restore a semblance of hope for the future.

That hope was achieved the following season as Vale missed out on the League Two title by a mere four points finishing in the runners up spot, and now prepare for life back in the third tier of English football and clearly looking to kick on further. It’s highly likely that Moore will continue to manage Vale Park in the next season, as the odds of managers getting sacked, even at higher performance levels, are not as high as you’d expect. Only around 22.6% of managers are fired and replaced after performing. Moore’s choices, like the introduction of wing-backs, a more fluid front three, and emphasis on quick passing combinations, transformed Vale from a direct, long-ball team into one that could control games through patient build-up play.

It has been a busy summer transfer window so far Moore and the backroom staff at Vale Park and fans have already seen a plethora of moves both in, and out, of the club as Moore reshapes his entire first team squad. Having already picked up 21 year-old Aston Villa prospect Rico Richards after he impressed during a loan spell last campaign, it is being reported that the Vale gaffer will return to Villa Park in an effort to secure the signing of very highly rated young goalkeeper Filip Marschall.

The 22 year old will be a pretty familiar name to the Valiants as he seriously impressed last term in a 51 appearances loan spell for fellow League Two side Crewe Alexandra, and although they ultimately finished in 13th place in the table, the England youth international kept a total of 16 league clean sheets with that record was only bettered by two other stoppers in the fourth tier.

His time at Crewe was his third loan spell away from the Midlands club, and having broken through as a first teamer with them he is now closing in on 100 career appearances across all levels, despite his tender age. One of those appearances was his full debut for the Villans in their December 2023 Europa Conference League clash with Zrinjnski Mostar.

For understandable reasons, Vale are not the only side linked with having an interest in him as Blackpool are also reportedly circling, and it remains to be seen if Preston North End will rekindle their own prior interest in the talent. However, if the early reports are to be believed, Villa themselves have not yet made their minds up on whether or not they are looking to move him on permanently this summer, or whether it would yet again be another spell away on loan, but at a higher level.

Successive loans at a higher level to really push a youth prospects development curve has been a loan system employed by Villa in recent seasons, but equally they are also now regulars at selling a youth talent but insisting on a buy back clause, and it is easy to see why we would be interested in either scenario here – even though admittedly Vale have just drafted in both Marko Marosi to better challenge Ben Amos. Sometimes an opportunity presents that you just have to jump on.

Time will obviously tell here, but if Vale do have a real interest, our more local nature could play heavily into securing a deal, but it certainly feels like it is a deal that fans should watch out for.