Akpa Akpro completes new deal with Town
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro has this afternoon agreed terms on a new one year deal with Town and signed his new contract.Jean-Louis has been training with Town since the players returned at the end of June. He has taken part in the pre-season games and has found the next against Market Drayton, Cardiff and Tranmere.
Manager Micky Mellon has been trying to shift his squad around to free funds to allow him to sign Jean-Louis and Jermaine Grandison. Chairman Roland Wycherley has agreed to help fund the new deals for the pair and Jean-Louis is the first to agree.
Jean-Louis finalised the deal after training today and is happy to extend his stay with Shrewsbury Town:”It is good to have finally put pen to paper in time for the start of the season.
“I am looking forward to the season and will try to do my best for the team and for the club.”
The original deal was offered to Jean-Louis at the end of last season but he’s taken his time to go away on holiday and weigh up his options. Town has always been the first choice and he’s pleased to have the deal finally sorted:”To be fair I was just waiting to look at my options but my first choice was to stay at Shrewsbury and now everything is sorted.”
Jean-Louis is another player with experience of playing in League 1 and it’s a challenge that he is looking forward to:”I have played in League 1 before and it is a very good league and one that I look forward to playing in with the team that I was promoted with.”
He has got to see the new looks Town squad at first hand and has been impressed by the new faces in the squad:”It is always exciting but that more so with the new faces that have been added to the squad.
“League 1 is a tough league and it will be good to test ourselves against side who are aiming to be Championship level.”
Town kick off their Sky Bet League 1 campaign on Saturday when Millwall visit the Greenhous Meadow. It is a tough start to the season but one Jean-Louis doesn’t think Town should be scared of:”It is a tough start but we don’t need to be scared, we just need to take each game as it comes.
“We have a good team so the more important thing is to focus on ourselves and what we can do.”
Over the pre-season games Micky Mellon has tended to play Jean-Louis out wide on the left side. It is a position he has played before and one that he is happy to play:”I like to play anywhere, I prefer to play upfront but am happy playing out wider if that is what the gaffer asks.
“To be honest I am happy to play anywhere that I am asked to and I will do the job.”
There is competition for places all through the Town squad and it gives Micky Mellon a number of options for how he sets his side out this season. Jean-Louis is confident that when he gets the chance he can do the business:”There has always been competition and it is something that I’m not scared of as you will always have it in football.
“I am confident in myself and will do my best to do well when I get the chance.”