Devante Cole is set to leave West Bromwich Albion after a disappointing spell at The Hawthorns, but he’s a proven goalscorer in League One and both Reading and Port Vale should be chasing his signature.
West Bromwich Albion have had an exceptionally active summer. Ryan Mason, the club’s new head coach, has arrived from Spurs, and substantial changes are being made to the first-team squad following a disastrous ninth-place finish at the end of 2024-25.
However, such adjustments are not beneficial to all players, and striker Devante Cole’s time at The Hawthorns is nearing to an end. Cole, the son of legendary Manchester United striker Andrew, joined Albion from Barnsley barely a year ago, but it has already been claimed that the club is willing to let him go since they are pursuing alternative options up front for the new season.
Reading and Port Vale are among those interested in Devante Cole
League One clubs have already been notified of Cole’s availability. RDG Today reports that Reading are interested in signing him, as are other League One clubs, including freshly promoted Port Vale.
Reading are light on attacking options for the start of the new season, having finished last season in seventh place in League One and three points away from a play-off spot, which is a significant achievement given that the club was in disarray for much of the season before their sale to former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig was confirmed at the end of the season.
However, RDG Today reports that the striker’s favorite destination could be Vale Park.
Port Vale were promoted as runners-up behind Doncaster Rovers at the end of the 2024-25 season, but the fact that they only scored 65 goals in 46 League games suggests that they will need to strengthen in attacking positions if they are to return to League One the following season.
Cole is a proven League One goalscorer
To understand why Devante Cole is of such interest to League One clubs, we must look beyond his West Bromwich Albion disappointment.
Cole arrived on a free transfer from Barnsley in the summer of 2024, and it was here that he established his reputation in this league.
Cole scored 33 league goals for Barnsley during the previous two seasons, 15 in 2022-23 and 18 in 2023-24. Barnsley made the League One play-offs at the end of both of these seasons, losing to Sheffield Wednesday in extra time at Wembley Stadium in 2023 and then narrowly losing to Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals the next year.
| Devante Cole’s Two League One Barnsley Seasons (Sofascore) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists | Average Rating |
| 2022-23 | 48 | 3518 | 15 | 3 | 6.80 |
| 2023-24 | 48 | 3700 | 18 | 3 | 6.98 |
It is worth noting that after Cole left for the Black Country, Barnsley appeared to suffer as a result of his absence. The 2024-25 season finished with them finishing 12th in League One, their lowest final league rank in twenty years.
Reading and Port Vale have clear goals for the 2025-26 season. Reading will try to improve on their near-miss, while Port Vale will look to consolidate their position in League One after a year out.
Both of these teams need goals, and Devante Cole has a track record of scoring in League One. Both should be desperate to get his signature.
Leave a Reply