Nottingham Forest youngster Adam Crookes could have big decision to make this summer

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Port Vale manager John Askey is interested in signing Nottingham Forest defender Adam Crookes, according to the Stoke Sentinel. 

The 54-year-old manager has recently guided Port Vale to survival in League Two. His own future is up in the air as his contract expires at the end of the season. But he is expected to be asked to say once the club’s ownership is resolved.

If he does remain at Vale Park, then Crookes will be on his transfer wishlist. It remains to be seen whether the Reds would be willing to loan him out again, or let him leave permanently.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel, Askey said: “You don’t want too many young players in your squad unless you have real quality. Even with Mitch and Crookesy, we have seen games where they have made mistakes.

“You don’t want players making too many mistakes but I think those two have got good attitudes and have potential to go higher.

“That is what you want from your younger players – people who have quality and a great chance of playing higher, whether that is with us or you get a transfer fee for them.”

Decision

In this case, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 21-year-old defender was keen to stay at Vale Park. He has made 18 appearances for the club since joining them at the beginning of the year. This came after a brief spell with Lincoln City at the beginning of the season.

He will have gained a lot of experience from playing regularly in League Two.

Martin O’Neill already has a wealth of defensive options available to him at the City Ground.

For that reason, it’s highly unlikely that Crookes will have any chance of making a breakthrough next season. The Northern Irishman won’t be particularly keen on giving youth a chance when the pressure is on.

If the decision is down to him, Crookes would be better off seeking regular first team football elsewhere. The Reds would most likely be keen on loaning him out again, as he does still have a significant amount of potential. But if a decent offer is put on the table, it may be something they consider.

It remains to be seen how Crookes’ future plays out over the summer. But it seems a sensible move for all parties for him to return to Vale Park on loan for the 2019/20 campaign.