How do Newport County strengthen this summer?

After a positive start to the season for The Exiles, their end to the season – with 8 straight defeats – left many in a County persuasion with the view that their need to strengthen in the summer was perhaps more gargantuan than they first envisaged.

Indeed, Graham Coughlan has made a number of high-profile releases at the end of the season, and The Exiles are left with lots of work to do in terms of bringing in new players during the close season.

What that in mind, I take a look at some of the positions that I feel County need to strengthen in and suggest some possible signings that they could look at.

Goalkeeper – Lewis Thomas (Bristol City)

If they want to add a backup to regular goalkeeper Nick Townsend, one player that I would be looking at is Lewis Thomas.

Thomas was released by his parent club at the end of the season and so is available on a free transfer. He ended the campaign out on loan with promoted side Bromley, on the bench as they won at Wembley, and so he may well entertain the option to return to Hayes Lane permanently. If he doesn’t, I think that signing for Newport could well be a goer.

Thomas is a Swansea boy and so the idea of signing for The Exiles allows him to go back closer to home. He has spent the last few years in and around London, but the chance to play EFL football and return home to Wales could be an attractive proposition for the goalkeeper that is too good to turn down.

Centre-Back – Aden Baldwin (Notts County)

One centre-back that is available after their release at the end of the 2023-24 campaign and who I feel would be a good fit for this County side is former Notts County man Aden Baldwin.

Baldwin is another who County will know about and have direct knowledge of, with Baldwin formerly of the Bristol City academy and so is no doubt one that they may have looked at in the past. Baldwin is originally from Bristol and so a move to Rodney Parade is closer to home for the defender, and so that may be something that interests him i.e. moving back to Bristol and having a manageable commute to Newport County.

I feel that Baldwin would give County a more cultured and measured defender than what they have currently in terms of his ability to bring the ball out from the back; the best example of that being bringing it into midfield and scoring two vital goals for Notts County in the play-off semi-finals in 2022-23. He has a good range of passing, is technically strong, and has got a lovely strike on him.

And, in terms of rebuilding and strengthening the culture at County, Baldwin is another natural leader having captained Bristol City’s Under-23’s side in the past. Adding another strong character like that would be vital in giving The Exiles a stronger self-managing core and one that drives standards.

There may be the odd eyebrow raised with this suggestion, seeing as though County are one of the worst sides defensively in the EFL, that Baldwin was a part of that and that Stuart Maynard has chosen to get rid of him to bring about improvements; however, I think those criticisms are a little wide of the mark. I still think Baldwin is a more than capable defender and as a backup to what County have at the moment, I think he’d be more than adequate.

Left Back #1 – Lincoln McFayden (Swansea City)

Newport County have two good Welsh academies on their doorsteps and yet for whatever reason – be it rivalry or something else entirely – they rarely seem to make use of such locality links. I think they should, and so the first player on this list that indeed hails from one of their Welsh neighbours is full-back Lincoln McFayden.

McFayden is one that I am a bit surprised hasn’t gone and had a loan spell in the EFL at some point, as his playing style is very much the archetypal, modern-day full-back. Attack-minded, strong and powerful, a capable runner; he has all of the physical and athletic attributes that you would look for in a full-back. Thus, I think he could do a good job as a wing-back, too.

The Swans youngster has featured sparingly on loan at Welsh side Penybont this year, and so if he is to go back out on loan then a Welsh-based loan would likely be most preferable to enable The Swans to keep a closer eye on him to see how he develops.

Left Back #2 – Frazer Blake-Tracy (Swindon Town)

If The Exiles want to add a left full-back or wing-back option, one player that is available on the market that covers a lot of bases and would be a good fit for this County system is former Swindon Town defender Frazer Blake-Tracy.

Blake-Tracy was let go at the end of the season by Swindon Town – released on a free – and in truth I was a bit surprised that he was let go. He is a player who I have always been a fan of, with strong technical competencies to be able to pass out from the back, the versatility to play in a number of different roles – be it as a left-back, or left centre-back – and so allows The Exiles to use him as either a wing-back, or on the left of a back three.

One thing that Blake-Tracy also provides County with is an experienced player who at the age of 28 is at the peak of their career. Rather than having to take a chance on players who are perhaps just starting out their career or who have to adjust to the league, Blake-Tracy has recent experience of the division with Swindon Town and has also played at a higher level in League One.

If The Exiles are not able to bring Adam Lewis back into the football club, the addition of someone like Blake-Tracy – a progressive, high-energy player that is comfortable in possession – would be well-suited to that role. The Exiles have run with a slightly smaller squad than most this term, and so while Huw Jenkins may loosen the purse strings a little, the fact they can sign a player who is so versatile is beneficial.

Central Midfielder – Luke Young (Wrexham)

Graham Coughlan’s recruitment very much hinges on finding the right type of characters and ones who are going to be committed and hard-working, as much as it is finding quality. One option that I think comfortably ticks both boxes and also works in terms of geography is former Wrexham midfielder Luke Young.

Young was released at the end of the season following The Red Dragon’s promotion from League Two, but that is no slight on his part; he is still a more than capable option for the level and one that depart the Racecourse Ground still highly-rated and liked by the Wrexham fanbase. That speaks volumes of him as a player, but also as a person.

One area in which I felt The Exiles had to strengthen this summer was in bringing in technical midfielders with a good passing range, can contribute in an attacking sense, and provide them with a little bit more creative nous; I’ve felt they have missed that. In this regard, Young is a good fit for County’s needs; he is a fabulous ball-striker, has a strong passing range, and he is technically one of the best players for the level.

He was the captain at Wrexham for their two promotions, and so he gives Graham Coughlan a natural leader; extra experience and a vocal figure of this ilk is exactly what County need to improve the underbelly of the side. He will likely want to remain fairly local to where he is now if he can, and so the opportunity to remain in Wales seems logical.

Attacking Midfielder – Adam Murphy (Bristol City)

Robins boss Liam Manning has already made reference to the fact that he feels like Adam Murphy is – in his words – a “while off” being part of the plans for the first-team. As such, I am fully expecting that he will depart Ashton Gate on loan in the summer to try and get first-team minutes into his legs at EFL level.

Thus, The exiles may well be well-placed near the front of the queue to land the Irish midfielder. County have strong links with Bristol City, with strike pair Seb Palmer-Houlden and Olly Thomas both sending time with County on loan last year, and so they can draw upon those links to try and persuade the youngster to move to Rodney Parade on (ideally) a season-long loan.

In terms of what type of player he is stylistically, Adam Murphy is an attack-minded midfielder that makes good runs into the box from deep, thrives in the pockets of space between the opposition defence and midfield, and is always looking to make incisive passes into the final third.

There was a lot of interest in landing the services of the youngster prior to his move to Ashton Gate – with Manchester City reportedly interested – and so there is undoubtedly a talent here. With first-team opportunities a priority and the relationship between the two clubs, I think this has the potential to be a good fit.

Striker #1 – John Marquis (Bristol Rovers)

If County are to improve on this year, I think they may need to bring j a marquee signing. Who better – therefore – to bring in as a marquee signing than a striker whose last name is Marquis? I’ll get my coat.

Marquis was let go by Bristol Rovers at the end of the season on a free – a decision that did surprise me a little – and the former Millwall man is a player who is usually a safe bet for a decent return for goals in League One, let alone in the EFL’s basement tier. As such, this would most certainly give The Exiles a top-end, League Two performer which would allow them to build on this season.

The Exiles have a striker in Luke Jephcott who is very much a box threat and one that likes to stay between the lines; Marquis is another of those types, but one with perhaps a bit more intelligence and nous. He is a player who I think has clever movement, anticipates the loose ball, and while he isn’t the all-action type of others, he is the well-rounded, measured killer in front of goal which County need.

He has lots of experience under his belt in the Football League, and has shown multiple times at this level that he can be a prolific forward. For the ease of geography, a move from Bristol over the Welsh border into Newport and the chance to be the main man for The Exiles could be an attractive proposition for the experienced front man.

Striker #2 – Isaak Davies (Cardiff City)

The second Welsh academy player on this list that I feel Newport County should go for – and one that I think is perhaps a tad ambitious, but nevertheless inviting – is Cardiff City youngster Isaak Davies.

Davies has spent this year out on loan in Belgium with Kortrijk, and he had a good campaign with 11 goals in 30 games. Originally from Aberdare and a Welsh youth international, I feel Davies needs to go out on loan again next term to continue his development, especially with chances of first-team minutes at a premium and likely to continue being so.

The youngster has some Championship experience under his belt, and so he wouldn’t be a completely novicial option for County. Much of his work with The Bluebirds was in a supporting role from the bench, and so I feel that he would benefit from having regular first-team minutes and a run of starts instead.

If The Exiles add a player like Marquis to complement Jephcott, they then need that smaller, trickier profile of forward alongside with a bit of pace, and Davies ticks that box. He is a promising, highly-tipped talent and I’d be going all out to convince him a temporary loan across Wales is the best thing for him.

Versatile Forward – Jordan Garrick (Forest Green Rovers)

The final player on this list is a versatile forward who I feel covers a lot of bases for County regardless of what system they want to use, and that is former Forest Green Rovers attacking player Jordan Garrick.

Garrick is another with Welsh-based roots, having been on the books of Swansea City, indeed spending four years with The Swans and so he would certainly be interested – I wouldn’t wonder – with a return to his more homely roots. After his departure from Swansea City in 2023, I was a little surprised that there wasn’t – there may well have been, in any event – interest from Newport County for his signature, as I think he is a good player.

The former Swans youngster is one that can play either wide or centrally at the top end of the pitch, utilising his pace and direct running style to isolate defenders. In terms of being a powerful and physically-strong profile – that Coughlan favours – Garrick is rather unique in that he is roots in Rugby and so has taken care of his physical development.

He was released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the season after their relegation to the National League, albeit I think that will have been largely from his wide in wanting to remain in the EFL; and, with reason to as well, as I think he is more than capable. He can play off of a larger striker in Jephcott with his pace running in behind, can be used as a wide forward in a 3-4-3 and could be used as a wing-back, too. Still only 25, I think he’d be a smart capture.