Shrewsbury Town move for Josh Ruffels not 'dead in water' with update in full-back pursuit

Ruffels, who turns 32 this month, is without a club and has been training with Shrewsbury at times since the beginning of the season having previously worked under head coach Appleton.

Appleton, whose struggling side visit Barrow in League Two on Saturday, admitted Town are always on the lookout for possible movement in the free transfer market but again said clubs are working to a budget - and there remains players he feels need to move out of the Shrewsbury squad for regular football.

The head coach did not name the club highly-regarded Ruffels has trained with this week and admitted he still sees the left-sided defender as somebody capable of playing as high as the Championship having been released by Huddersfield in the summer.

"Well, there's no hiding it because I've seen some people have got pictures of it! Appleton smiled. "Josh is someone that I've clearly worked with for three years at Oxford. I took him from Coventry into Oxford at the time.

"I think it's one of those where there's always a possibility, but the reality is there's a lot of other clubs out there looking as well.

"This week, as an example, he's not been with us. He's been with other clubs."

Ruffels made more than 300 appearances as hometown club Oxford between 2013 and 2021 and then moved to Huddersfield, where he spent three of four seasons in the second tier.

"While he's a free agent and if there was an opportunity, then clearly that's something that I would look at just because I know the player and what he can do and what he can bring," added the Town boss.

"He can play probably four positions comfortably and probably at the top end of the League One or in the Championship. I think I'm pretty confident in saying he'd be able to do it in League Two.

"He's not dead in the water, but I do know there's a lot of other clubs who would certainly be having a look at him. Don't hold your breath too much."

Appleton's Town already used the free agent market to bring in striker Chuks Aneke - who the boss worked with at Charlton. Aneke netted his first goal for Salop on his home debut in last weekend's defeat to MK Dons.

The head coach has previously outlined that Shrewsbury will be unable to make more moves until any departures from Croud Meadow.

George Nurse, an injury victim in several of his seasons at the club, had been subject to interest from the National League and was close to an exit a month ago but any movement is yet to progress. Nurse operates in the same left-back role as Ruffels. Sam Clucas, the experienced midfield summer recruit, has played at left wing-back of late.

Toby Savin, Alex Gilliead and Max Mata all made moves away to free up space in Appleton's squad. 

"I think you've always got interest (in potential targets) but we've all got budgets as well," Appleton added on Friday. "Ultimately, I think there's still a couple of players in the group that I feel need football on a regular basis and they're not probably going to get it with us between now and January.

"It might be a bit of a situation where there might be still a little bit of player trading, but that'll be on the back of maybe one or two going on."