Port Vale striker Devante Cole has been subject to a transfer battle in recent days, with the likes of Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, and Luton Town all in the race for the forward.
Cole has always been a recognised talisman in the division, returning six goals for a struggling Port Vale this season and registering double figures in his previous two full seasons in the division with Barnsley.
Now, the striker’s destination has become clear with Monday’s transfer deadline looming closer.
Devante Cole Set To Join League One Promotion Hopefuls
According to reports from Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Luton Town have won the race for Devante Cole.
The move comes amid a vast clear-out for the club, which has seen Millenic Alli and Jerry Yates depart on loan for Championship sides Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday, respectively.
Cole is a capable poacher, which is just what Luton Town need after numerous positive performances haven’t returned three points. If the 30-year-old can come in and score ‘the scrappy goals’, then the Hatters will more than assert themselves into the League One top six.
Additionally, the move is positive in the fact that it hurts their promotion rivals. If Luton are to break into the top six, then they will need to overtake the likes of Huddersfield Town and Bradford, who were also linked with the striker earlier this week.
This could particularly hurt the Valley Parade side, who have been linked with numerous strikers over recent days, including Kayden Jackson, Jake Beesley, and Paul Mullin. If their interest in Cole was firm, then pressure to assure the signature of one of their other targets will grow.
With most of the promotion-chasing pack looking for a striker in the latter days of the window, the Hertfordshire outfit winning the race for Cole could be a pivotal moment come the end of the season.
How Will Port Vale Cope Without Cole?
At the time of writing, Port Vale have only scored 19 goals in their League One campaign, and sit bottom of the division and 12 points adrift of safety.
Cole scored nearly a third of their goals, making his departure highly detrimental to any slim chances the Valiants had for survival.
However, this does present the chance for Jon Brady to prepare for life in League Two as relegation looms closer. Cole was always likely to part ways should the club fall into the fourth tier, given his pedigree in Vale’s current division. So, his departure gives room for the coach to plan for the future in a league he has previously succeeded in with Northampton Town.
Nonetheless, losing a player of Cole’s quality could effectively assure the Staffordshire outfit will be playing in League Two next season.
