With first-team midfielder Josh Laurent leaving for Championship club Reading, Ricketts looked to strengthen his Shrewsbury squad again in the summer of 2020. The departure of Irish goalkeeper Joe Murphy also meant Ricketts only had 1 senior goalkeeper. On 3 August, Ricketts managed to get 3 deals over the line, bringing in striker Rekeil Pyke from Huddersfield Town and promising Northern Irish winger Josh Daniels from Glenavon, as well as the loan signing of young midfielder Scott High, also from Huddersfield Town. The club played their first pre-season friendly of the season on 11 August, beating Cymru Premier side Bala Town 3–0 at Telford United's New Bucks Head. Two days later on 13 August, defender Omar Beckles rejected a new contract and subsequently also left the club, leaving a gap in Ricketts' defence. On 18 August, Ricketts won his second pre-season friendly of the season, defeating Nuneaton Borough 3–1 at home. This was followed by a defeat 0–1 home defeat to rivals Walsall on 21 August, a 5–1 defeat away at Stoke City on 25 August and a 1–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers U23, also on 25 August. On 28 August, Ricketts managed to strengthen his defence with the loan signing of United States U20 international Marlon Fossey from Fulham. The club's final pre-season friendly took place on 29 August, a 1–2 win away at Premier League club Burnley. On 2 September, Ricketts managed to fill the goalkeeper void, bringing in Montenegro international Matija Šarkić on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.