Shrewsbury Town's loan rangers trying to make a mark at Meadow
It’s been a busy transfer window and Sam Ricketts has a sizeable Shrewsbury Town squad to select from.
Among Town’s 10 new signings this summer, seven are loans. The boss is only permitted to name five in a matchday squad.
The domestic window runs until 5pm on Friday and more additions are likely at Montgomery Waters Meadow, though Ricketts is unlikely to bring in any more loans.
Here, we provide a quick pen profile to keep you up to speed with the new faces.
Deyan Iliev
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 25
Parent club: Arsenal
Senior games: 22
Salop loan: Ricketts is unlikely to have planned for seven loans and Iliev’s arrival last week only came about due to the long-term injury to Matija Sarkic.
Macedonia shot-stopper Iliev had loans in Slovakia and Poland in 2019 and 2020 respectively and was Arsenal’s third goalkeeper, named among the matchday squad, in the 2018/19 Europa League final defeat to Chelsea. This move represents a real opportunities to show his qualities if named ahead of Harry Burgoyne.
Fact: Was Arsenal’s third goalkeeper, named among the matchday squad, in the 2018/19 Europa League final defeat to Chelsea.
Matt Millar
Position: Right-back
Age: 24
Parent club: Newcastle Jets
Senior games: 175
Salop loan: The Aussie, who grew up in Victoria as one of 10 children, has a fascinating back-story having been a late bloomer in the sport coming through the Australia ranks.
A loan move that came around thanks to Ricketts’ links with Newcastle Jets boss Carl Robinson, Millar will want to make the right-back slot his own.
Success will see Town want to keep him around for longer than the initial three months.
Fact: The athletic defender grew up in Victoria, where he was one of 10 children, including eight boys. English football was high on the siblings’ priority list.
Jan Zamburek
Position: Central midfield
Age: 19
Parent club: Brentford
Senior games: 23
Salop loan: Something different in midfield, he arrives extremely highly-rated by Brentford, who know how to nurture talent.
He caught the eye on his debut against Bolton last week and might be Town’s key to unlocking doors this season.
Fact: Zamburek was runner-up to Sparta Prague’s 17-year-old Adam Hlozek in the Czech young player of the year in January. A year earlier he became the first player born in the 2000s to play for Brentford.
Shilow Tracey
Position: Winger
Age: 22
Parent club: Tottenham
Senior games: Eight
Salop loan: Looks like a traditional winger with pace to burn.
There are raw qualities to his game that Ricketts must iron out but the boss likes his attitude.
Will likely serve Shrews well against tired legs late on in games.
Fact: Spurs beat off interest from Crystal Palace and West Ham to sign Tracey from non-league Ebbsfleet in 2016. He went into their youth set-up and was managed by ex-Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu, who sadly died in 2017.
Matija Sarkic
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 23
Parent club: Wolves
Senior games: 32
Salop loan: Turned down a new Villa deal to join Wolves in the summer, Sarkic is well thought of.
A big blunder at home to Northampton aside, he started his Town career well and the Montenegrin looked assured before an unfortunate hamstring injury at Plymouth.
Fact: A Montenegrin national born in Grimsby. His father Bojan was the country’s ambassador to the European Union. His twin brother Oliver plays for Blackpool.
Marlon Fossey
Position: Right-back
Age: 22
Parent club: Fulham
Senior games: Five
Salop loan: A big move for the Fulham prodigy from California. He is learning the men’s game after tough luck with injury but has already progressed with Town and has qualities.
Having previously been a winger, the guidance Ricketts will offer him from a defensive point of view will be invaluable. Will battle it out with Millar at right-back.
Fact: Born in Los Angeles, California, Fossey moves to the island of Jersey aged four and then England at 11 after he was spotted by a Fulham scout. The pacy full-back used to be a winger and was a keen gymnast growing up.
Scott High
Position: Central midfield
Age: 19
Parent club: Huddersfield
Senior games: Eight
Salop loan: A gem unearthed by Ricketts and Dean Whitehead. He has excellent so far in all seven of Town’s games, scoring two cracking goals.
Has technically ability but the heart of a lion and spot-on attitude. Easy to see why the Terriers rate him so highly.
Fact: The Yorkshire teenager, nicknamed ‘Salop’s Jimmy Milner’ by skipper Ollie Norburn, joined Huddersfield’s academy aged eight. He has since captained his youth side and impressed onlookers in two loans at non-league Concord Rangers last season.
