Stoke City are set to allow Will Forrester to leave the club again on loan next season, with Port Vale the destination as reported by StokeOnTrent Live.

The Championship club are unlikely to give the youngster too much gametime in their first-team during the next campaign and rather than the player just sitting on the bench, they will let him link up with their rivals on a short-term basis.

It isn't the first time that Forrester will leave the Potters on loan either, with the defender spending the 2021/22 season with Mansfield in League Two.

 

 

However, he played just four times for the Stags during his time there with two starts and he'll be hoping that this latest agreement to the Valiants will see him get plenty more minutes and a lot more football than last time around.

He's already played for his parent club in the Championship too, so his little experience of the second tier could be beneficial to Vale. He's played in a total of four second tier outings for Stoke so far over the course of his career and has even managed a goal despite playing as a defender.

Now, for the player to continue his development and try and reach his potential, Stoke are now ready to let him head out on another short-term deal and if Port Vale can give him the playing time he needs then it could lead to him returning to the bet365 Stadium and playing a lot more often for his parent club.

The Verdict

Stoke and Port Vale is not a combination of teams doing business that you expect to see but it could be an agreement that benefits both clubs.

Forrester is a player that does have the potential to become a first-team regular for the Potters and could at the very least be a solid option in the EFL. However, Stoke can't give him the playing time he needs right now with plenty above him in the pecking order.

Instead, a loan move would suit him down to the ground and Port Vale could be a very good landing spot. He's sure to get more action than the player managed with Mansfield last time around and that could also bring his development on leaps and bounds.

For the player and for the two clubs then, it could be a win-win-win situation and one that could see Forrester get the football he needs.