Port Vale, placed in 23rd, have had a horror start to their season as they are still fighting for that first win on the road despite having winning cup form to get through in the Carabao Cup Round Three against Arsenal.
Desperate for a proven forward, the hours keep shortening for Port Vale as it seems they are dependent upon that transfer deadline day signing to keep their League One status potentially.
How Have Port Vale Got On In The League So Far?
Despite starting the season with a loss away against Rotherham United, fans were arguably still very excited and proud of their performance in the second half managing to get a goal back and nearly nick a late equaliser despite being 2-0 down with a red card in the first half.
In their next league game, Vale faced Cardiff City at home in a 0-0 draw where they completely dominated the league leaders with a sublime amount of chances however just couldn’t capitalise on them in the final third, alongside having a controversial offside goal in the second half.
With performances looking up to a good standard, fans weren’t worried about their squad quality, only relying on a forward who could take their chances.
Facing Burton away on the following Saturday, another controversial setback in the early doors allowed George Byers to walk down the tunnel as match official Scott Oldham brandished the red card.
Despite another red card, the away side did well to hold on to a point and played some decent football at times, however were unable to grab their first win of the season.
Facing Stevenage at home, they finally deemed to get their first win of the season as they were winning the game 1-0 thanks to a Lorent Tolaj goal in the 36th minute, and were into the final few minutes remaining where things were looking great for the home side.
Just like that, disaster struck in the 88th minute when Jamie Reid scored a wonderful goal to level the game, and the game was completely thrown away when he scored in additional time, in the 91st minute, to give Stevenage three points.
Next up facing Doncaster at home, they were in desperation for a first win of the season, however, that was once again taken away from them in the 54th minute when Owen Bailey snatched the win for the away side leaving the Valiants heading down the tunnel empty-handed once again.
In their most recent game against Reading at the Madejski Stadium, a Paddy Lane thunderbolt in the 66th minute led them to take another loss on the road and drop into 23rd place with no wins recorded in the league inside six games.
What Was The Main Cause Of Their Drop In Form?
Showing great potential and quality in their beginning games against Cardiff, Burton and Stevenage, the Valiants were arguably deserving of a win in all three of their games showing excellent bits of play throughout the game, however missing out in the final third.
With their main forward Lorent Tolaj being reliant upon and remaining their target man, disaster struck when Plymouth Argyle met his release clause and left the star man heading down to Devon to shine for his new club.
However, this was the worst-case scenario for Port Vale, as they were already struggling for goals in the league.
Being left with new signings Mo Faal and Ben Waine, some supporters believe they aren’t ready to make the step up for the club and fill Lorent Tolaj’s boots.
Who Could Vale Sign?
Devante Cole
Reports have previously shown that West Brom forward Devante Cole might be looking for a move back into League One. With this the case, Port Vale could be the perfect option for the target man to get back on form and firing in the goals.
Not being able to prove himself with the Championship side, the 30-year-old has previously shown his proven abilities in the league throughout his time with Barnsley for three seasons.
In the 2022/23 season, Cole managed to net 16 goals and three assists in 53 games for his side with quite a good record in front of goal.
Improving his goal tally in the next season, the forward managed to bag 18 goals and 3 assists in 49 games being a reliable target man in his squad which warranted a move to his current side West Brom where he hasn’t been able to prove himself.
Therefore, being proven in League One might lead the Valiants to try and forge a move on deadline day as he would suit perfectly into the side and finally get them scoring goals and changing games.
Dane Scarlett
Dane Scarlett has been linked with a loan out to different EFL clubs from Tottenham and the forward could also be a great option for Port Vale if they managed to attract the youngster.
Playing a total of 31 minutes for Tottenham last season in the Premier League, the forward also decided to take a loan move out to EFL Championship side Oxford United where he managed to score four goals and one assist in 22 games, as he couldn’t quite prove his quality in the side.
However, the youngster already has plenty of EFL experience as he had previously played for Ipswich Town in the 2023/24 season playing 12 games with no record in front of goal, and Portsmouth in the 2022/23 season playing a vital part in their promotion from League One as he managed to score six goals for them alongside one assist in 40 league games.
Therefore, Dane Scarlett might need a move back into League One to prove his quality and get firing in the goals for his new side, that’s why Port Vale might be the perfect move for him as they are in pure desperation for a target man.
Ollie Pearce
Finally, another option for Port Vale to go for would be to drop back into the National League and pick up proven forward Ollie Pearce from York City.
The target man for the club has previously recorded an exceptional number of 30 goals for the side last season and nine assists in 43 games for them in the National League squad, however was unable to gain promotion with the side as they lost out to Oldham Athletic in the play-off semi-final with a devastating 0-3 defeat.
The 30-year-old potentially wanting an EFL move, might have the perfect opportunity to prove himself for Port Vale if they decide to move for him, however if York decides to let their target man go for the Valiants, could he manage to prove himself in the tough League One season?
The Lower Tiers and Lower League Look are collaborating this transfer deadline day to bring you the best news possible. Check out their video below.
