Defender completes loan move from Premier League side Nottingham Forest, subject to Premier League, EFL and FA approval.

• Nottingham Forest defender Aaron Donnelly joins Port Vale
• 19-year-old Northern Ireland Under-21 international made first team debut for Premier League side earlier this season
• Vale manager Darrell Clarke: ““Aaron ticks a lot of our boxes in terms of his attitude, character and ability and comes with a good reference having worked with Cros [Andy Crosby] at Northern Ireland previously.”

We are delighted to announce that defender Aaron Donnelly has joined the Valiants on loan from Premier League side Nottingham Forest until the end of the 2022/23 season.

The Northern Ireland youth international was handed his first team debut by Forest manager Steve Cooper earlier this campaign in a Carabao Cup win at Grimsby Town.

The defender, who was rewarded with a new contract by Forest in December, initially moved to the City Ground in 2019 from Northern Irish side Dungannon Swifts.

This season, he has made seven appearances in Premier League 2 and has found the back of the net once, which ended up being the winner against Leeds United U21s earlier this month at Meadow Lane.

Donnelly has been capped by Northern Ireland at Under-17 and Under-21 level and was given his U21 debut by Andy Crosby in February 2021.

Commenting on Donnelly’s arrival at Vale Park, manager Darrell Clarke said:

“Aaron ticks a lot of our boxes in terms of his attitude, character and ability and comes with a good reference having worked with Cros [Andy Crosby] at Northern Ireland previously.

“Having lost Connor Hall earlier this month, Aaron comes in and gives us good competition on the left side of defence.”

Aaron will wear the number 5 shirt during his time at Vale Park.