Striker Devante Cole has left West Bromwich Albion by mutual agreement and subsequently joined League One side Port Vale as a free agent.
The 30-year-old becomes Vale’s twelfth new addition of the summer, signing an initial three-year deal.
Valiants manager, Darren Moore said: “We are delighted to have secured Devante’s signature. He’s a player who attracted plenty of interest from various clubs, but has ultimately chosen to be part of what we’re building here at Port Vale.
He possesses wonderful attributes, including a proven ability to score goals, and we’re all really pleased to have him on board.”
Cole returns to League One, where he previously scored 36 goals in three seasons for Barnsley before joining the Baggies in July 2024.
West Bromwich Albion Move One To Forget
Cole joined West Brom just last summer but failed to make an impact at The Hawthorns.
He made 16 appearances for the club, with just a solitary start during this time, and failed to score a single goal.
He played under five different managers and interim managers — Carlos Corberán, Chris Brunt, Tony Mowbray, James Morrison, and Ryan Mason — but was not seen as a reliable option by any of them.
Cole arrived at Albion with over 100 career goals to his name, 65 of which came in League One. He had represented England at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, and Under-19 levels before receiving a senior international call-up to the Jamaican national team.
His departure reflects the incredible work done by owner Shilen Patel in lowering the squad’s average age and wage bill, while also generating significant profit to ease profit and sustainability concerns.
The forward joins Tom Fellows, Torbjørn Heggem, Darnell Furlong, Caleb Taylor, Kyle Bartley, Semi Ajayi, John Swift, Grady Diangana, Gianluca Frabotta, Mason Holgate, and Ted Cann in departing The Hawthorns this transfer window.
