Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has admitted he would love to keep Blackburn Rovers loanees Georgie Gent and Jack Vale beyond the end of the season.
Gent has been in Scotland for the entirety of the season, catching the eye North of the border. The versatile left-footer scored his second goal for the club at the weekend.
Vale spent the first half of the season on loan at Lincoln City but struggled to make an impact. He’s faired far better at Motherwell, scoring three and setting up two in 10 outings.
The academy graduate is contracted to Rovers until 2025 with an option of 12 months whilst Gent’s terms also expire next summer.
Kettlewell is hopeful of keeping both players around next season with talks set to take place in the summer.
"Without question, I want to keep as many good players as I can,” Kettlewell said.
“Utmost respect to Blackburn who have been fantastic with us. I would imagine that the guys at Blackburn now start to look at the success and they possibly have plans for them moving forward as well so there is always respect from me.
“But do I want good football players at my football club? Of course, I do. I want Jack Vales and Georgie Gents because I think everyone can see on a weekly basis that they bring so much to the party.
"He’s (Gent) been great. It’s not been easy. I keep speaking about this first loan that you go into. He came here as what we felt would be a really good offensive left-sided player, real good quality, he’s done that.
"I think so many of his defensive aspects have improved and his diligence towards his job on a full side of a pitch rather than just on that kind of front foot.
“Guys that come from down south on that first loan, we’ve had several of them – Brodie Spencer, Mika Biereth was a second loan, Jack Vale, James Furlong last year - there’s been so many success stories. We’ve utilised that market very, very well but there are peaks and troughs with it as well.
"Sometimes it’s about education, sometimes it’s about taking that little step back to make sure there’s an understanding of how they become better football players, but Georgie’s a great lad to work with.
“He’s a quiet lad but he’s an excellent football player and I think he’s grown immensely since he’s been here, not just as a player but I think he’s grown as a person as well.”
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