Man Utd confirm eighth loan exit of January window as midfielder joins League One side

Manchester United have confirmed the departure of Dan Gore on a short-term loan to Port Vale.

The midfielder will remain at Vale Park until the end of the season, and becomes the eighth player to leave the club on loan this window.

Rhys Bennett, Alvaro Fernandez, Maxi Oyedele, Donny van de Beek, Hannibal, Jadon Sancho and Joe Hugill have all departed in January, while Mateo Mejia signed permanently for La Liga side Sevilla. ManchesterWorld also understands Radek Vitek will leave on loan this month.

Last week, United announced a net loss of £25.8m for the three-month period ending 30 September 2023 and the club are wary of their precarious financial outlook, especially given Everton’s severe punishment earlier this season and the risk of more to come, along with Nottingham Forest.

But Gore’s departure is seen more as an opportunity for an encouraging talent to gain a first taste of consistent senior football. The 19-year-old played in four pre-season matches over the summer and clearly impressed Erik ten Hag, who handed Gore a first-team debut in September’s EFL Cup win over Crystal Palace.

“We don’t have coaches here who give players opportunities [for nothing], they have to deserve it,’ Ten Hag told MUTV after Gore made his debut. “Once they deserve it, they get the chance.”

United’s no.44, who signed a new contract over the summer, has mainly played for the club’s Under-21s but also came on in the latter stages of the 3-2 Premier League win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Gore will now hope to impress for Port Vale until the end of the campaign and the Staffordshire club currently sit 18th in League One. He could make his debut in Saturday's home game against Portsmouth.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Dan to Vale Park," Port Vale manager Andy Crosby told the club's website. "Dan is a player that owns fantastic technical ability and the required competitiveness to his game to come in and immediately bolster the competition and options within our midfield.

"As well as his obvious qualities on the pitch, Dan possesses all of the non-negotiable personal qualities that are required to be a member of the squad here at Port Vale. He has a real desire to make the most of his opportunity here and to learn from the experienced players within our squad to push himself beyond his limits to become the very best version of himself.

"I would also like to thank Manchester United for entrusting us with one of their elite young talents. With the opportunities that were afforded to all of our loan players, as well as our style of play and player care, both Dan and Manchester United see Port Vale as the perfect home to continue his already impressive development. We all look forward to working closely with Dan both on and off the pitch between now and the end of the season."