Shrewsbury Town are set to sign Manchester United teenager Elyh Harrison on loan, according to the Shropshire Star.
The 19-year-old will be Shrewsbury’s sixth signing of the summer, and will join Toby Savin as just the club’s second goalkeeper, after both Jamal Blackman and Joe Young were released at the end of last season.
Shrewsbury Town Preparing for Life in League Two
After finishing dead last on just 33 points last season in League One, the club need to prepare for life back in the fourth-tier after 10 years away.
With the club keeping just 14 players under contract from last season, this was and still is a big summer for Salop, who have added five players to their ranks so far.
Defenders Tom Anderson, Sam Stubbs, Will Boyle and Tom Sang, as well as midfielder Sam Clucas, have all made the switch to the Crowd Meadow, and with a little over a month left in the window, it looks like there is still more to do.
Michael Appleton’s side will be aiming for promotion back to the third tier and host Bromley in the season opener in just under two weeks.
Much Needed Competition In Net
It’s no secret that Salop struggled with a consistent number one in goal last season, with Blackman and Savin fighting it out for that starting spot.
Savin joined from Accrington Stanley last summer, and started the opening 19 games, but was dropped after conceding 39 goals, keeping just one clean sheet and making a few individual errors. Free agent Blackman joined the Shrews in December and went on to start for the rest of the season, whilst Savin experienced short emergency loans to the likes of Non-league sides Barnet and Halifax Town.
Now that Blackman has departed the club, Savin needs competition between the sticks, with youngster Harrison looking like an ideal target in that position.
Elyh Harrison’s Career So Far
At just 19, the former Stevenage youth product had his first taste of men’s football last season in the National League North, playing for Chester. He joined the club in August and departed in January, making 18 appearances in the league for his loan side.
Harrison joined Premier League giants Man United in 2022 for an undisclosed fee and has since played for both the Under-18 and Under-21 sides in Manchester. The England Under-20 international has also had a stint at rival Premier League side West Ham United’s academy.
Writer’s View
It will be interesting to see who Appleton puts his faith in this season, with Harrison being inexperienced, and after Savin’s disastrous 2024/25 campaign. However, these two are bound to give each other some healthy competition, which would benefit both players and the club.
From Harrison’s perspective, this deal makes sense for all parties, as it’s a chance to gain some more crucial men’s first-team experience at a young age to help aid his development.
