2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Port Vale

Player Decisions

Retain

Ben Garrity, Connor Hall, Ryan Croasdale, Kyle John, Cameron Humphreys, Joe Williams, Jordan Gabriel, Liam Gordon, Jaheim Headley, Jack Shorrock, Jayden Stockley, Charlie Bussell, George Byers, Rhys Walters, George Hall, Ben Waine, Onel Hernandez

Release

Ben Amos, Mitch Clark, Ben Heneghan, Jesse Debrah, Sam Hart, Ben Lomax, Funso Ojo, Arron Davies, Tyler Magloire, Grant Ward, Andre Gray

Sell

Marko Marosi, Jordan Shipley, Rico Richards, Ruari Paton

Loan Out

Jack Shorrock, Charlie Bussell

Loan End

Joe Gauci, Eli Campbell, Ethon Archer, Dajaune Brown, Martin Sherif

Sign

Jasper Moon, Jackson Smith, Matt Craig, Kyle Dempsey, Mason Terry, Oliver Lynch, Mo Faal, Max Watters

Retained Squad

New Signings

Sonny Aljofree (Manchester United – free)

If I were Jon Brady, I would be personally looking to add slightly more technical profile of centre-back to go alongside what they’ve already got in the building. One player that I think may be available for The Valiants going into pre-season – potentially on a permanent deal – and someone that I have quite liked the look of when I have seen him play in League Two is Manchester United academy defender Sonny Aljofree. 

The defender went off the radar in 2025-26 with limited involvement at Notts County, but I think that he is a talented player and would relish the opportunity to go and find himself a new home in which to go and play his football. He has perhaps not got the body of work under his belt at first-team level to warrant opportunities in League One at this stage, and so I feel that the likely level at which to pitch the youngster is at a League Two club. I think on a long-term deal with time to develop organically and at his own rate he could represent a nice project for Brady to work with. 

The youngster is only 21 years of age, and so has got a lot of development left in his game. In terms of the attributes that you would look for in a centre-back, I think that Aljofree is a nice blend of skillsets. A good size. Mobile enough to defend wide spaces. Athletic and physically strong. Capable in the air. There are some nice base skillsets there, and I think that if he can develop that aggression then he can be a complete defender. 

One of the advantages that I feel The Valiants would get in signing Aljofree is that he is a completely different type of centre-back profile to Connor Hall. One of the criticisms that I had of The Valiants last year when I watched them was that they lacked the quality in playing out, and they were fairly easy to press against. Teams were able to funnel play into Hall, and that forced them long. I would always try to have one centre-back that is comfortable technically, and so he provides Vale with better build-up qualities against a press. 

One of the things that I particularly like about Aljofree is the calmness in the way that he defends. In this regard, I feel Aljofree is very much a ‘modern day defender’ given that he doesn’t have to rely on being overly physical or aggressive, but he has a composure in how he goes about his business. He reads the play well, has good timing in intercepting the play, strong movement and anticipation of where the ball is going to drop, and when he has the ball under pressure he’s got that quality to play out. 

I feel that the youngster might be at the stage in his career now whereby he might want to think about finding himself that next opportunity and that it may well be best-suited away from Old Trafford on a permanent basis. At his age, Aljofree needs to go out and get first-team football under his belt and play in a physical league, and I don’t feel that you get that intensity and aggression when playing academy football. Port Vale are going to be one of the favourites for promotion next season, and so I feel that signing for Jon Brady’s side would be a good move for his career.

Myles Hippolyte (AFC Wimbledon – fee)

Going into pre-season, The Valiants are looking particularly strong in the centre of the park. They’ve added Matt Craig and Kyle Dempsey, while they’ve retained Ben Garrity, Ryan Croasdale and George Byers. If The Valiants are to stick with the use of three midfielders, I would – if I was in Jon Brady’s shoes – personally add another option to their ranks of an attacking nature. One player that I think they could go for is Myles Hippolyte. 

AFC Wimbledon have got to operate frugally in the market given that they do not have the financial weight of the other sides in League One, and so if they get a reasonable offer for one of their players then they might be willing to accept that. The Dons have re-signed Callum Maycock, signed Zack Nelson on a permanent deal, and have got two young midfielders in Delano McCoy-Splatt and Kai Jennings for whom they’ve got high hopes and will likely give minutes to this term. Hippolyte is now 31 years of age, and so they may well be willing to let him go if they get the right offer. 

When I watched The Valiants in 2025-26, I felt that they lacked a player of the profile of Myles Hippolyte. They have an aerially proficient #9 in the form of Jayden Stockley, and I think that they could have done with having that accurate crosser of the ball that can get a good delivery into the penalty area. Onel Hernandez impressed during his short-term period at the club, yet he is a dribbly winger that wants to commit players. I think that there is value in them having a midfielder that can provide more natural width, work himself half a yard and get delivery into the box. Signing a player of this profile would – I feel – get more out of their existing group. 

As a profile, I think that Hippolyte provides a number of skillsets that I feel they should be looking to add. He is wonderfully technical, quick feet, a good dribbler and is effective at carrying the ball. He wants to play forward through the lines, and so gives them a progressive passer that I think would complement the more defensively-strong options that The Valiants have got on their books. 

One of the advantages of signing Myles Hippolyte is that the experienced midfielder is capable of playing wide or centrally. He can play as a left winger and provide natural width, and he has got the technical craft, delicate first touch and passing range to play as more of a #10 whereby he can play through the lines and create. The Valiants could do with adding a left-footer to provide them with natural balance, and so I feel that Hippolyte could be a nice option to complement what they’ve currently got.  

After the signings that they have already made, I think it would be a major statement of their intent if they were able to land him. However, I get the gist from the tone that they have set out so far this summer that The Valiants are not interested in sticking around in League Two and want to get back into League One at the first time of asking.

Jayden Richardson (St Mirren – fee)

When I watched The Valiants last season, one area in which I felt they needed to strengthen was in the wide attacking areas. One target that I would consider if I were Jon Brady as a potential signing is St Mirren’s Jayden Richardson. The 25-year-old has played in the Football League previously, and if The Valiants can agree a reasonable fee for the wide player then I think that this may be a deal worth exploring. 

While the former Nottingham Forest academy player has played largely as a right-back since moving North of the border, I’d personally look to use him closer to goal and higher up the pitch as more of a winger than as a full-back. When I saw him during his time at Boreham Wood, I thought that he was particularly dangerous when used in the final third as a winger. He has a strong physical profile, and is effective when he holds the width, isolates full-backs and utilises his pace and running power in attacking space in behind. 

In terms of the attributes that I would look for in a wide player, I think that Jayden Richardson represents a nice well-rounded profile. He is quick. A brilliant athlete, with good recovery pace when defending. He is direct, and wants to get to the byline and commit players. He is an efficient ball-carrier, with a strong underlying technical quality to manipulate the ball in tight spaces, and he uses his speed effectively in creating separation from his marker in transition. 

One of the good things that I particularly like about Richardson if he was to be used as a winger is that he is defensively strong, and gives greater protection to The Valiants’ full-backs when they lose the ball and out-of-possession. Last season, I felt that The Valiants were fairly easy to play through and they didn’t have enough pressure against the ball and so adding a player with the physical attributes of Richardson to get back and defend – particularly in 1v1 duels – could be useful. 

Brady is a coach that is tactically flexible, and so I think that adding a player that can play in a number of different positions like Jayden Richardson provides value for The Valiants. He can play as a right-back in a four. He can play as a winger. He is a good stylistic fit for playing as a wing-back and giving them a powerful runner that can thrive on counter-attacking football and quick transitions. 

When Brady was in charge at Northampton Town, he found a lot of value in signing out of the Scottish market and I am always a big advocate for it providing good options for a cost-effective price. Richardson is a good age with decent experience under his belt, and I feel that he could be attainable for a reasonable offer. The Valiants have already flexed their muscle this summer with a couple of marquee additions, and I think that signing the former Nottingham Forest man on a permanent deal would be in-keeping with that. He might not be the flashy, household name that perhaps The Valiants have signed so far this summer, but I like him and I believe he would be a useful addition. 

Kieran Morrison (Liverpool – loan)

One avenue that I think The Valiants could look to utilize this summer is the loan market. They have already signed young goalkeeper Mason Terry on loan from West Ham United, and so I feel there is value in that market. One option that I feel may be made available for a loan this coming season to get first-team minutes under his belt is youngster Kieran Morrison. The 19-year-old is on the books at Premier League side Liverpool, and with opportunities in the first-team under Andoni Iraola likely to be few and far between I would be looking for a loan move for the youngster to go and continue his development. 

In terms of his profile, the Northern Ireland youth international is a technical and diminutive customer that plays as a wide forward either as a conventional winger or a wide #10 in the half spaces. With Jayden Stockley and Ben Waine leading the line for The Valiants, I feel that they will get the best out of the pair with bodies in and around them and so I feel that they could get value out of playing the Liverpool youngster slightly narrower. 

Personally, I think that his best work would come in central areas as an attacking midfielder as he perhaps lacks the physicality and explosive power to beat a player 1v1, yet has got the technical intricacy, quick feet, close control and agile frame to attack space and fashion the ball out of his path facing the goal. His low centre of gravity allows him to cover ground really efficiently and is a skilful dribbler.

One thing that I particularly like about Morrison is his intensity in possession. I felt that at times last season The Valiants lacked speed and energy in central areas, took too many touches and lacked impetus to play through teams, yet the youngster is someone that has got a lovely energy with the ball that has drawn comparisons in his style to that of Curtis Jones. He is always looking to play forward, at speed, on the angle, and will look to take risks in possession in passing through the lines. 

Morrison is a precocious talent and gives them that little bit of creativity from open-play that they perhaps missed last year. He has got the ability to create something out of nothing, play a bit off the cuff, and take risks. Their build-up was too safe and too one-paced last year, and so having that attacking player within the group that can play at speed and bypass the press in playing forward and trying to force opportunities is key. 

If Morrison does go out on loan, I think that there will be a lot of interest in his services. However, the fact that he could go into a Port Vale side that will be fancied to be amongst the sides competing for promotion from League Two this season may well put The Valiants near the front of the queue to seal his signature. They have already been trusted to have a young player in Mason Terry that I feel has got the potential to be one of the best young players in the Football League, and so in signing Morrison they’d be getting another fine talent. On a season loan, I think it would be a good move for both parties.

Kyle Edwards (Northampton Town – free)

The second wide player that I would look at signing ahead of the new season if I were Jon Brady is a player that finished the 2025-26 campaign on the books of Brady’s former side Northampton Town in the form of Kyle Edwards. Released by The Cobblers following their relegation to League Two, I feel that Edwards could represent a clever pickup for The Valiants and crucially gives them something that they have been missing. 

While The Cobblers deemed him surplus to requirements, I feel that he will still retain value in League Two. His last few spells have been in League One, and so having not played as frequently as he perhaps would’ve wanted to drop down a league and finding a regular playing berth in League Two may allow him to put a proper run of games under his belt. Ideally, The Valiants want to try and put together a team of players that are capable of being competitive at the top end of League Two and then step up into League Two, and so the signing of a player as experienced as Edwards would represent a bit of a coup. 

The 28-year-old is originally from the Midlands, and so the prospect of signing for The Valiants is too far out of the woods geographically. He provides Jon Brady with good experience across the Football League – most of which has come at a higher level – and so he gives The Valiants experience. They are going to be one of the favourites to win promotion in 2026-27, and so signing players that are capable of handling the pressure of being part of a winning side and those high pressure games is an environment that I think he would handle comfortably. 

Onel Hernandez has perhaps surprisingly decided to re-sign with The Valiants going into 2026-27 and that is a real coup for their prospects, but at the very least they need to sign competition to him. I think that Edwards would provide The Valiants with a fairly similar profile. Jon Brady needs to try and add that player that is effective in carrying the ball, that is quick, direct and willing to get on the turn and drive the ball to goal, and so Edwards gives them that. 

One thing that I particularly like about Edwards as a prospective signing is that he has got good variety in his game. He has got the tricky movement and clever drop of the shoulder such that he can go both ways. He is powerful and pacy such that he can go on the outside, yet equally he has got the speed to create separation in transition in central areas when you play him between the lines. I think that he gives The Valiants a fairly unique profile in that he is actually effective when they are in congested midfield areas, with Edwards having the quick feet, close control and agility to weave his way out of challenges and in attacking space. 

The experienced attacker gives them that profile that wants to readily hit the byline and stretch teams, and that is key if they’re to diversify their attacks. Especially with Ethon Archer moving on,  I think that Kyle Edwards would be a welcome addition to the forward line.