New Shrewsbury Town loanee set to rival Will Brook for goalkeeper spot

Gavin Cowan says new Shrewsbury Town loanee Sam Proctor will provide valuable competition for goalkeeper Will Brook during the upcoming season.

The England youth international has become Salop’s eighth summer arrival after joining from Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal.

The highly rated 19-year-old has linked up with the Town squad as they continue their pre-season preparations in the Isle of Man.

Boss Cowan has likened Proctor to last season’s loanee Matt Cox and believes the youngster will push Brook for the starting role.

“Sam comes with an incredible pedigree and is very much in the same mould as Matt Cox,” the Salop chief said.

“We wanted to bring in another young goalkeeper to provide competition for Will Brook, so we’re delighted to have him on board.”

Cowan revealed after last Tuesday’s friendly against Stafford Rangers that Proctor had been in attendance at the game. The Town boss also thanked Aston Villa for helping the deal happen in time for the goalkeeper to join up with the squad for pre-season.

He continued: “We’re also really pleased we’ve been able to bring him in as early as we have, so a big thank you to Aston Villa for making that possible.

“We’re looking forward to helping with his development and, in return, we’re confident he'll make a positive contribution to the team.

“It was important for us that Sam joined in time for the pre-season trip to the Isle of Man.

“Aston Villa have been really accommodating in allowing that to happen, which gives him the opportunity to get to know the lads, settle into the group and understand how we want to play before the season gets underway.”

The teenager arrives at the Croud Meadow having progressed through Villa’s academy, where he has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell.

Proctor was part of the Villa Under-18 side which completed a remarkable treble during the 2024/25 season, winning the Under-18 Premier League South title, the FA Youth Cup and the Under-18 Premier League national final. He also kept a clean sheet in the latter.

The goalkeeper also featured in the Uefa Youth League, Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy, while he was named on the bench for both legs of Aston Villa’s Uefa Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain.

Proctor has represented England at every youth age group from Under-16 to Under-20 level and signed a new long-term contract at Villa after impressing throughout his development.

He has worked alongside World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and will now embark on the first loan spell of his career with Shrewsbury.