Miguel Santos: Port Vale goalkeeper's contract terminated by mutual consent

Miguel Santos made three first-team appearances after arriving from Portugal in the summer

Port Vale goalkeeper Miguel Santos has had his contract with the managerless League One club terminated by mutual consent.

The 22-year-old Portuguese filled in for first-choice Jak Alnwick when he went off injured in Saturday's FA Cup third-round defeat at Huddersfield.

But three of the Terriers' four goals came after Alnwick's departure.

And that substitute appearance proved to be the last of Santos's three outings for Vale's first-team.

Santos was one of the string of signings made by Vale boss Bruno Ribeiro when he arrived in Burslem in the summer, prior to his abrupt departure on Boxing Day.

"Miguel actually asked to leave the day after Bruno went, so it wasn't a surprise," Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite told BBC Radio Stoke. "You saw on Saturday when he came on that his heart wasn't really in it. He asked again, so I said 'let him go'. So he's gone."

Vale caretaker boss Michael Brown is still to determine the full extent of the injuries suffered on Saturday by Alnwick and key defender Remie Streete, who went off with a hamstring injury six minutes before half-time.

Alnwick resumed after suffering a suspected fractured cheekbone when he collided with a post, only to then suffer a further ankle injury with the tie still in the balance at 1-0.

That forced him to be substituted on 59 minutes, to be replaced by summer signing Santos, after which Vale conceded three more goals to lose 4-0.

Port Vale defender Remie Streete was injured on his 51st appearance for the club

"To lose Jak with a fractured cheekbone possibly, and a severe ankle injury which could keep him out longer than the cheekbone, it becomes very difficult," Brown told BBC Radio Stoke. "And Remie Streete has a hamstring, so these are the times that are testing for us."

Vale still have young keepers Ryan Boot and Harry Pickering to choose from, although Sam Johnson is out on loan at FC Halifax and not allowed to return under new loan regulations.

As for defender Ryan Taylor, whose short-term contract expires after the home game with Bury on 20 January, the former Newcastle United defender has told BBC Radio Stoke that he hopes to have his future sorted within the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, young midfielder Ryan Lloyd, who has just renewed his loan at National League side Chester, has been tipped as a Vale first-team contender next season by Chester boss Jon McCarthy.

"I hope Port Vale recognise what he's doing and they give him his chance next season," McCarthy told BBC Radio Merseyside. "I'd love nothing more than things to work out for the lad and for him to play at that level.

"There are a host of clubs interested in Ryan, but he chose to stay here," added former Vale winger McCarthy. "Southport offered him a two-and-a-half year contract. We just did our best to get as close as we could to what they offered."

Ryan Lloyd has played 47 National League games since first joining Chester in November 2015