Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke talks transfers, loans and fixture schedule

Port Vale boss Darrell Clarke says the club will be looking to the loan market, but permanent deals will make up most of his signings before the end of the transfer window.

The manager and director of football David Flitcroft are looking to bring in six to seven more signings and would have liked more of those deals completed by now to add to the arrivals of defender Lewis Cass and midfielder Funso Ojo.

But Clarke says neither he nor the club are panicking because, although the season kicks off at home to Fleetwood next Saturday, they still can bring in players up until the transfer deadline at the end of August.

Some of those deals could be loans but they are likely to be later on in the window. He said: “You get better loans the longer the window the goes on because a lot of the good loans are training with the first team squads abroad, with the Premier League and Championship clubs, so there will be an opportunity for loan moves.

“Dave and I have a lot of contacts in that area and we know a lot about the young talent in this country. But also permanent ones as well. It won’t be five loans and two permanents, we want more permanent than we do loans that is for sure. But we will see how the ever changing market keeps going.”

Vale are looking to bring in a goalkeeper as well as strengthening up front, in midfield and in the wing-back areas.

Clarke added: “We are looking for signings and we will be getting signings. That is where we are at. “There are a lot of interviews and chatting to players and agents. We have missed out on some targets – it is pretty obvious to say that – but then we then move on.

“But you don’t panic into making decisions. We have a really good core of a squad at the minute and are making sure we