Port Vale have missed out on one of their summer window transfer prospects after it was revealed Ryan Edwards had made a choice about his future.
The defender, who most recently plied his trade at Scottish Premiership newcomers and Scottish Cup semi-finalists Falkirk, has been without a club since the end of January after his short-term contract expired.
Valiants Miss Out
According to Alan Nixon via his Patreon page, Port Vale have lost out in the battle to sign the free agent, which would have marked his return to English football for the first time since leaving Blackpool in 2020.
Since then, the 32-year-old has been in Scotland with Dundee United and Falkirk, with a stint at Indian side Chennaiyin FC sandwiched in between.
Jon Brady’s side had shown interest in signing the former Blackburn Rovers man, but faced competition from St. Mirren and USL Championship side Sporting Club Jacksonville, with the latter ultimately winning the race to sign Edwards.
The Florida-based club are in their inaugural season of competition in the second-tier of the American pyramid, and are being managed by former Livingston midfielder Liam Fox, and overseen by ex-Queens Park Rangers man Mark Warburton.
No Loss For Vale
While it might have been some assistance to Port Vale to secure a defender like Ryan Edwards, ultimately, it would not have been enough to make a real impact on the Valiants’ standing in League One.
Jon Brady’s side look inevitably heading towards relegation, and avoiding a free agent signing will help them create a new squad from a clean slate in League Two next season.
Their defence has arguably been their stronger department across the season, with their 46 goals conceded being the lowest in the bottom nine of the league, and have been let down by the poor attacking output since the departure of Lorent Tolaj to Plymouth Argyle.
For Edwards, who has not been averse to moves to different continents, now gets a chance to play for Sporting Club Jacksonville, and work under a few Scottish Premiership stalwarts in Liam Fox and Mark Warburton.