Port Vale set to swoop for defender after Barnsley move broke down
Jesse Debrah, who left Halifax Town this summer, is now closing in on a move to League One
After a consolidated return to League One last season, Port Vale have started 2023-24 in very good form under new boss Andy Crosby.
Crosby stepped up to become head coach when Darrell Clarke departed last season, initially on an interim basis but he did enough to be offered the job eventually on a permanent basis.
And after six matches of the third tier campaign, things are going pretty well for the Valiants as they have won four times and drew once, putting them on 13 points and in fourth position.
Vale have also made plenty of new signings over the course of the summer, both in terms of loanees and permanent deals.
| Port Vale- 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Alex Iacovitti | Ross County | Permanent |
| Ethan Chislett | AFC Wimbledon | Permanent |
| Connor Ripley | Morecambe | Permanent |
| Mitchell Clark | Accrington | Permanent |
| Tom Sang | Cardiff | Permanent |
| Conor Grant | Plymouth | Permanent |
| Jason Lowe | Salford | Permanent |
| Jayson Leutwiler | Oldham | Permanent |
| Ryan Loft | Bristol Rovers | Permanent |
| Alfie Devine | Tottenham | Loan |
| Kofi Balmer | Crystal Palace | Loan |
| Josh Thomas | Swansea | Loan |
| Oliver Arblaster | Sheffield United | Loan |
Ethan Chislett, Conor Grant and Connor Ripley are perhaps the standout free transfers whilst the likes of Oliver Arblaster and the most exciting of the lot in Tottenham’s Alfie Devine arrived on loan at Vale Park.
Their recruitment though is seemingly not over despite the transfer window being closed.
EFL clubs can still sign and register free agents, so long as they weren’t contracted to a club before the transfer window shut and that they have room in their squad, and according to a report from Alan Nixon via Patreon, Vale are close to signing Jesse Debrah.
The 22-year-old departed Halifax Town of the National League over the summer after not agreeing a new contract, with the expectation that he was set to join an EFL outfit with a fee needing to be agreed because of his age.
Vale’s League One rivals Barnsley appeared close over the summer to landing the centre-back’s services with a medical pencilled in at Oakwell, but for whatever reason it did not happen.
And the transfer window closed with Debrah still a free agent, having also had interest from Notts County, Northampton and Ross County, as well as Walsall recently.
Who is Jesse Debrah?
London-born Debrah started his footballing career at Millwall, but he did not make a single senior appearance for the Lions and was instead farmed out on loan to the likes of Eastbourne Borough and Dulwich Hamlet.
Halifax then picked Debrah up in 2021 following his exit from The Den, playing 26 times for the Shaymen in his debut season – his form led to interest from Huddersfield Town as well after just one year in West Yorkshire.
He then featured 33 times in the National League last season and also received his first cap for the England C team, but he now looks set to jump into the EFL as expected with Vale, providing that they have agreed compensation with Town.
Where will Jesse Debrah fit in at Port Vale?
With Crosby preferring to play a back three with his current Vale squad, he needs plenty of defensive options because of cup competitions, league fixtures and potential injuries.
Alex Iacovitti, Nathan Smith, Lewis Cass, Dan Jones and Kofi Balmer give Crosby plenty of depth to choose from, but clearly he wants one more to just give him something to think about.
And in Debrah, there is a defender on the market who has the potential to develop even better than what he is now and he has the raw attributes to be an asset at League One level.
If agreeing a deal with Vale, Debrah will perhaps have to be patient and wait his turn, but he will surely get a chance if he performs well in training.
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