With 16 first-team players under contract following their relegation from League One, Port Vale boss Darren Moore has a tight budget when it comes to recruiting new players.
But fans were delighted when the club announced the signing of Ronan Curtis on a free transfer, and it appears the Port Vale hierarchy are prepared to commit to incoming transfers before they sanction outgoings.
With that in mind, Football League World’s Port Vale reporter Seb Short identifies two free transfer signings that would make perfect sense for The Valiants.
Omar Bogle
The accomplished striker, who has played for Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, and Doncaster, is more than capable of starting at the front for Port Vale.
With over 200 senior games played in League One, League Two, and the Championship, Bogle has scored 66 goals, or one goal every three games, on average.With James Wilson out of the picture and Uche Ikpeazu choosing to turn down Vale’s contract offer in order to play for St Johnstone north of the border, Vale is severely lacking in strikers; the only two players the team still has on its roster are Ryan Loft and Baylee Dipepa.
Bogle is available on a free transfer after enjoying two successful seasons in League Two with Newport County. The 6″3′ frontman played 71 times for The Exiles across two seasons, netting 24 times.
With Loft only hitting the back of the net once in the League all season, and Dipepa still finding his feet at senior level, boss Darren Moore could do a lot worse than turn to Bogle, who only turns 31 in July but who has a wealth of experience in League Two and higher.
Warren O’Hora
Warren O’Hora, a former center back for MK Dons, is the ideal addition to Port Vale.
Since joining the Dons in 2020–21 on loan from Brighton, the Irishman has been a model of consistency, amassing 136 League appearances in four seasons.O’Hora, who played in League One for three of those seasons, was likely dismayed that his final game for the team was an 8-1 aggregate loss in the League Two play-off semifinal against Crawley Town.
With O’Hora’s contract expiring at the end of this month, there will likely be a long list of clubs looking at signing the defender, who has taken on the captain role at MK Dons in the past.
The 25-year-old made 51 appearances across all competitions last season, and could provide competition for places with club stalwart Nathan Smith, who looked exposed at times playing alongside the inexperienced Jesse Debrah and Alex Iacovitti.
Experienced defensive midfielder Jason Lowe was often drafted in to defence, but his lack of pace often left his team-mates exposed.
Moore tried both five-man and four-man defenses as Vale fell to relegation last season, so it’s unclear which formation he prefers. However, O’Hora’s presence would be a strong addition to bolster an exposed back line.
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