Russell expressed his wish to retain the 21-year-old at the Showgrounds for the upcoming campaign in remarks following Friday’s 2-2 draw with Galway United, even if there is a good chance that other teams will compete for his services.
Jack Henry-Francis, an Arsenal loanee, receiving Player of the Match following a match against Sligo Rovers.
He is a very good player. He continues to improve and improve. You would adore keeping him. In the background, I’ve been speaking with Jack and Arsenal,” Russell stated.
After joining Sligo Rovers in the summer, Irish underage international Henry-Francis has grown to be a key member of the team. At first, he had to wait for his time behind Rovers’ reliable midfield trio of Ellis Chapman, Niall Morahan, and Connor Malley. However, injuries and suspensions created a window of opportunity, which he took advantage of.
Since then, Henry-Francis has had a significant impact on his performances; earlier this month, he was named Player of the Match in Rovers’ match against title-chasing Derry City. That time, he made four tackles, generated six opportunities, provided an assist, and kept an outstanding 94% pass accuracy rate.
On November 1st, Rovers will play their final game of the season against St. Patrick’s Athletic. Russell thinks his team has improved this year even if they didn’t place in the top four.
Russell claims that despite being written off as relegation contenders, the club has surpassed expectations and produced some of the best football in the league. People had dismissed us and predicted that we would be demoted. It was far away from us. “This year, we’ve made tremendous progress,” he stated.
Russell has a clear objective for the upcoming campaign: to build on the gains from this year and retain a core group of players, ideally including Jack Henry-Francis.
It is unclear if Arsenal will decide to prolong the young midfielder’s stay, but there is no denying that Henry-Francis has made a lasting impression on Sligo Rovers while he has been at the Showgrounds.