FIVE NATIONAL LEAGUE TRANSFERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED - OPINION
The 2023/24 summer transfer window is officially underway, but here are five National League transfers that you may have missed so far…
Throughout the window so far, there have been 86 confirmed transfers in the English fifth tier, with some sides building almost an entire starting eleven whilst some are yet to get underway due to one reason or another.
For example, Barnet, Sutton United and Dagenham & Redbridge have been extremely busy thus far landing 23 signings between them.
Meanwhile, Gateshead and Southend United have yet to sign anyone since the season concluded, with the latter currently placed under a transfer embargo and facing an anxious few weeks due to the club’s current off-field issues.
With that being said, let’s take a look at five transfers you may have missed over the last few days…
Louis John: Sutton United to Ebbsfleet United
Beginning with one transfer that seemingly flew under the radar, Ebbsfleet United have continued to add experience to their squad with the arrival of defender Louis John on a free transfer after his contract at Sutton United was cancelled by mutual consent.
John managed 17 appearances in League Two last season, scoring twice and has previous EFL experience with the likes of Cambridge United and has promotion-winning experience in the fifth tier.
The defender joins Lewis Page and Jim Kellermann as experienced additions to the Ebbsfleet squad, with the club likely to pursue an improvement after their final-day survival last season.
Aaron Jarvis: Torquay United to Yeovil Town
From a former NL South champion to the reigning NL South champions, Yeovil Town added additional firepower to their attack by winning the race to sign Torquay United forward Aaron Jarvis on a free transfer after he opted against extending his stay in Devon.
Jarvis has previous EFL experience with Scunthorpe United and has scored 24 goals in 56 league appearances over the previous two seasons for Torquay, including 15 in his last campaign in the fifth tier.
Mark Cooper’s side have already added Harvey Greenslade to their attacking ranks whilst Sam Pearson signed a new contract and the arrival of Jarvis will spark further confidence within the club’s forward options heading into the summer.
Corey Whelan: Carlisle United to AFC Fylde
Sometimes in the lower divisions, footballers opt to join clubs based on location rather than money and this is almost certainly the case for Carlisle’s Corey Whelan who has signed for AFC Fylde upon the expiry of his contract in League Two.
The 26-year-old has EFL experience but was limited to just seven appearances in all competitions last season, although he does bring a lot of versatility to the National League side, especially following the departure of Connor Barrett to Walsall.
Whelan joins Fylde on a free transfer, adding a lot of qualities to the club and I truly believe this transfer has the potential to be extremely successful for all parties.
Mark Shelton: Oldham Athletic to Barnet
Speaking of experience, Oldham Athletic midfielder Mark Shelton has swapped blue to orange as he joins Dean Brennan’s Barnet ahead of the 2024/25 National League season.
Despite Oldham having a frustrating season in the National League, the 27-year-old made just 15 league appearances but has promotion-winning experience in his locker which could prove vital for the Bees next season.
Surprisingly, Shelton was one of the first-team players at Oldham who was under contract for the new season but instead has left the club to strengthen Barnet’s promotion aspirations.
Paul Kalambayi: AFC Wimbledon to Dagenham & Redbridge
Completing the list will see us turn our attention to Dagenham & Redbridge who have completed their seventh signing in the shape of AFC Wimbledon defender Paul Kalambayi on a free transfer.
The 24-year-old struggled with injuries in League Two last season, making just seven appearances in all competitions. However, he has spent almost his entire career in the EFL and joins the likes of Tom Eastman as leaders next season.
Following his arrival, Dagenham have now signed seven new players, with three of those being defenders. This implies that Dagenham boss Ben Strevens was focused on improving the club’s options at the back, adding further experience and bolstering their aspirations of a top-seven finish.
Readers, what are your thoughts on your respective sides’ transfer activities thus far? Let us know on Twitter @NLNatter or @TheSportsDeckUK.
The post Five National League Transfers You May Have Missed – Opinion first appeared on The Deck.
2024-06-15T07:40:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd