Crosby became head coach when Darrell Clarke left the team last season, initially on an interim basis, but he did enough to be offered the job permanently.
And after six matches in the Third Division, things are going quite well for the Valiants as they have won four and drawn once, taking 13 points and sitting in fourth place.
Vale also made many new signings over the summer, both on loan and on permanent deals.
Ethan Chislett, Conor Grant and Connor Ripley are perhaps the most notable free transfers, while Oliver Arblaster and the most exciting player, Alfie Devine from Tottenham, have arrived at Vale Park on loan.
However, their recruitment still seems incomplete even though the transfer window has closed. EFL clubs can still recruit and sign free agents, as long as they have not signed for a club before the transfer window closes and there are places in their squad, and according to the report Reporting from Alan Nixon via Patreon, Vale are about to sign Jesse Debrah.
The 22-year-old left National League side Halifax Town in the summer after failing to secure a new contract, with the expectation that he would join an EFL side for an agreed fee because of his age his.
Vale’s League One opponents Barnsley looked set to receive the midfielder’s services in the summer after a medical at Oakwell, but for some reason that did not happen.
And the transfer window has ended with Debrah still a free agent, having also attracted interest from Notts County, Northampton and Ross County, as well as Walsall recently.
Who is Jesse Debrah? London-born Debrah began his football career at Millwall, but he made no senior appearances for the Lions and was instead loaned out to Eastbourne Borough and Dulwich Hamlet.
Halifax then snapped up Debrah in 2021 after she left The Den, playing 26 times for the Shaymen in her first season – her form also attracting interest from Huddersfield Town after just one year in West Yorkshire.
He played 33 times in the National League last season and also earned his first England C cap, but he now looks set to move to the EFL as planned with Vale, provided they have agreed compensation with Town .
With Crosby preferring to play in a three-man defense with his current Vale team, he needs multiple defensive options due to cup competitions, league matches and possible injuries.
Alex Iacovitti, Nathan Smith, Lewis Cass, Dan Jones and Kofi Balmer give Crosby plenty of depth to choose from, but he clearly wants one more to give him something to think about. And in Debrah, there is a defender on the market who has the potential to be even better than he currently is and he has the raw qualities to be an asset at League One level.
If she makes a deal with Vale, Debrah may have to be patient and wait her turn, but he will definitely have a chance if he practices well.
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