Why Leicester City have made loan decision after right-back's 'definite success'
Leicester City have chosen to recall Brandon Cover from his loan spell at Port Vale with signs his game-time may be limited in the coming months.
League Two promotion contenders Vale announced on Wednesday that Cover had returned to the King Power Stadium and it’s understood that it was City’s decision. The 21-year-old had made an excellent impression in Staffordshire over his 20 appearances but opportunities were set to diminish.
Cover, usually a right-back or defensive midfielder, had been operating as a right-sided wing-back for Vale, signing for the club after Mitch Clark, formerly of City’s Under-21s, suffered a neck injury in the summer. Now Clark is fit again and is set to be the starter.
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Journalist Mike Baggaley, who covers Vale, explained: “Clark has just come back into the side over the last three or four games, is playing very well and so is first choice in that position. Vale also have Kyle John and Tom Sang who can play right-wing back so I guess Cover wouldn't have got much game-time.
“Having said that, his loan was definitely a success. His form maybe tailed off a bit towards the end but he was first choice for most of it and did a very good job for the team.
“Clark, aged 26, is a better player at this stage of his career but Cover was well liked by fans. I reckon his half-season at Vale worked well for all parties as he got league experience and Vale got a good young player.”
Cover is the fourth City loan player to be recalled this month, with Tom Cannon, Sammy Braybrooke and Amani Richards returning from Stoke, Dundee and Exeter respectively. Cannon is set to be sold to Sheffield United, while Braybrooke will remain with City for the rest of the campaign.
Harry Souttar had already returned to City from Sheffield United with an injury that keeps him out for the remainder of the season. Ben Nelson is currently at the club recovering a quad injury but is set to rejoin Oxford next month. City's other loanees are Silko Thomas at Wigan, Chris Popov at Barrow, Brad Young at Hartlepool and Wanya Marcal at De Graafschap.
