National League Chesterfield complete moves for two players – taking their summer signing tally to ten

Chesterfield have announced the signings of Ipswich academy graduate Armando Dobra and Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Covolan on loan from Port Vale.

Armando Dobra, the 21-year-old versatile attacking midfielder, joins up with his former boss Paul Cook having spent the majority of last season on-loan at League Two Colchester, where the Albanian U21 international played 11 times, scoring once.

On the opposite side of the pitch, Lucas Covolan, is expected to battle it out for the number one jersey with the experienced Scott Loach after keeping seven clean sheets in 21 League Two appearances last season for a Port Vale team who were promoted to League One via the Play-offs.

Following a Play-off Semi-Final defeat to Solihull Moors in May, the Midland’s club have put their scouting network to good use, having secured the signatures of players from up and down the footballing pyramid.

The signing of highly-rated former Plymouth Argyle winger George Cooper, who impressed for the Pilgrims during their League Two promotion-winning campaign in 2019, is their most high-profile signature so far this summer.

Further boosting the midfield is experienced Football League midfielder Ollie Banks who re-joins the club from Barrow, where he made 46 appearances in all competitions last campaign, scoring on 12 occasions.

Players signed from the lower leagues of the English game include defender Joe Cook from seventh-tier side Bognor Regis Town, as well as midfielder Darren Oldaker, who played a key role in Dorking Wanderer’s promotion from the National League South last season.

Youngsters Bailey Clements who was released from Ipswich Town and Branden Horton, who was let go by Doncaster Rovers are joined alongside highly rated Kings Lynn Town attacker Michael Gyasi and established National League fullback Ryheem Sheckleford as fellow new signings in Derbyshire.

In order to balance the books, Cook has transfer-listed striker Akwasi Asante, the scorer of the Spireites’ famous goal at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup, wide-player Calvin Miller, defender Gavin Gunning and academy graduate Laurence Maguire.

The former Wigan boss offered contract extensions to midfielders Jim Kellermann and Jak McCourt, target-man Tom Denton, and defender Luke Croll but all four were unable to agree personal terms, meaning they have all departed from the club.

With more incomings and outgoings still to be expected, the vastly-experienced Cook hopes to build on a seventh-place finish last term in an attempt to get the Spireites back in the Football League.

The senior squad, as of 05/07/22 is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Scott Loach, Lucas Covolan (on loan from Port Vale)

Defenders: Jamie Grimes, Tyrone Williams, Joe Cook, Jeff King, Branden Horton, Bailey Clements, Ryheem Sheckleford, George Carline, Gavin Gunning (transfer-listed), Laurence Maguire (transfer-listed)

Midfielders: Jack Clarke, Saidou Khan, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Tom Whelan, Liam Mandeville, Darren Oldaker, Ollie Banks, George Cooper, Armando Dobra, Calvin Miller (transfer-listed)

Forwards: Kabongo Tshimanga, Danny Rowe, Joe Quigley, Michael Gyasi, Akwasi Asante  (transfer-listed)

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