Ipswich Town youngster Nico Valentine joins Chelsmford City on loan for remainder of season after injury return

Ipswich Town youngster Nico Valentine has joined Vanarama National League South outfit Chelmsford City on loan for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old winger had spent the first half of the campaign on a second loan spell at National League North Needham Market - who he had helped gain promotion to the National League North as Southern League Premier Central champions - but it was another one that was interrupted by injury.

His last outing for Kevin Horlock’s Needham side came in a 7-1 defeat away to Buxton on October 26 which had seen him score the Suffolk side’s only goal.

It was also the game in which he suffered a hamstring injury, having built himself back to fitness following sustaining a dislocated shoulder in Ipswich’s pre-season friendly in Munich against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Valentine made his return to action for the last half-hour of Ipswich Town Under21s’ 5-1 loss to Charlton at Playford Road on Tuesday ahead of the move to Chelmsford being confirmed last night.

Clarets manager Robbie Simpson told his club’s website: “We’ve been a big admirer of Nico for quite some time.

“He had an amazing season last season on loan at Needham Market to help them get promoted to the National League North.

“He’s had an injury this season but he’s been back training for a few weeks now and played his first game on Tuesday, and with the deadline coming up for Premier League loans, we wanted to act before that deadline was up.

“Nico’s a highly talented young player and he’s one that will excite fans with his pace, he’s very much a pacey wide player that could also play as an advanced forward centrally.

“He’s got blistering pace and is technically very, very good and he’ll add another dimension to us with obviously Freddie (Hockey) being out, he adds that electric pace running in behind. We’re really delighted to finally get Nico over the line and can’t wait to see him in a Claret shirt!”

Valentine joins up with U21s teammate Harry Barbrook at the Melbourne Stadium, the left-back having made a loan move to the Essex side earlier in the month.