Who do Stockport County sign in the summer?

Stockport County are in League One.

The Hatters will no doubt want to be successful in the division, and so they must get their summer business right.

Director of Football Simon Wilson is one I have sung the praises of before in terms of his recruitment success, and all eyes will be on him to get it right.

With that in mind, I take a look at some areas they need to strengthen in and suggest some signings that they should make.

Joseph Anang (West Ham United – free)

The Hatters need to bring in a younger goalkeeper as an understudy to Ben Hinchliffe and one that I think they should consider is West Ham United youngster Joseph Anang.

Anang is out of contract with The Hammers at the end of this season, and a decision has not been made – or at least not publicised – regarding his future; if I had to hazard a guess then I would go with the view that his time at the London Stadium is likely to be coming to an end.

As such, Anang could represent a useful acquisition for County in terms of long-term planning, with Anang having spent time out on loan in League One with Derby County in the 2022-23 campaign and with Stevenage in the year prior. Game time has been at a premium, with his most productive loan spell coming out in Ireland, but from the very small sample size that I have of him I think he has potential.

Anang is certainly a powerful goalkeeper, and one that – given his days as a centre-back – is comfortable with the ball at his feet.

A former England Under-20 international, Anang is 23 years of age and needs to – I feel – now go and settle somewhere to find a pathway into the first-team fold somewhere. Playing alongside an experienced goalkeeper in Hinchliffe and given the time to find his feet could be ideal.

Finley Burns (Manchester City – loan)

If The Hatters are to add a centre-back to their ranks, one player who they could consider that has recent experience of League One and is local is former Stevenage man Finley Burns.

Burns has had a strong individual campaign with Stevenage in the third tier, spending the campaign on loan from Manchester City. Although he played largely in a five-back system with Stevenage, Burns showed himself to be a possession-comfortable centre-back with a good technical grounding coached to play in the right way, and I think he is a really good defender.

Burns provides County with some more natural height and threat in both boxes with an imposing frame at 6ft 5in, and has shown during his time with Stevenage this year that he is a good out-and-out defender that has managed to dislodge some of last season’s starters to make himself one of the first names on the team sheet.

County have made use of the loan market from PL2 sides well in recent terms – especially last year – and so with Burns almost on his doorstep (so to speak), I think he would make for a useful acquisition.

TJ Eyoma (Lincoln City – free)

Stockport County may look to add some League One experience to their ranks during the close season to allow them to adjust to the level, and one player who has been released who could ticks the boxes is Lincoln City man TJ Eyoma.

Eyoma is one that was let go by Lincoln City at the end of the season, and one who was a favourite of many at Sincil Bank; the view is that his departure was more so a disappointing one than a “given”. I think that he was just an unlucky beneficiary of a side who are trying to push for automatic promotion next year, and so I feel he is more than capable (still) of being a top-half operator; that is what County need and aspire to be.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man is only 24 years of age, and is a versatile player capable of being used as a right-back or a centre-back. Thus, he provides the weight of options of being deployed in various systems, as a straight full-back in a four or right of a back three – and so covers a lot of bases.

County are going to need to be smart in the business that they do, and I don’t think that there is much better value available on the market than a player who can cover multiple positions, available on a free and with North of 100 appearances in League One under their belt.

He has had injury worries, but as a squad option and a summer to get back to full fitness, I think he will thrive.

Elliott Watt (Salford City – free)

County need to add another central midfielder to their ranks, especially in wake of Ryan Croasdale’s departure. Another Manchester-based player who may be of interest – and one, in truth, I’d be shocked if he didn’t turn up at Edgeley Park – is Elliott Watt.

Watt has spent the last couple of years with League Two outfit Salford City. While The Ammies may have largely struggled during his time there, Watt has consistently excelled and proven to be one of the best passers of the ball in the division.

He is a metronomic player who is a constant source of creativity and ball retention in the middle of the park, with passing statistics off the chart. He sits at the base of the midfield really well, screening the back four, cutting off passing lanes and then when he has the ball getting attacks going.

He is now 24 years of age and so strikes the perfect balance between being experienced and yet a long-term option to give time to find his feet and invest patience in. He has shown to be one of the top-end performers in League Two, and now represents – I feel – the right time for him to make the step up into League One. A move to Edgeley Park – and remaining local to Salford – makes geographical sense, and also stylistically in wake of Croasdale’s exit. A match made in heaven.

Demetri Mitchell (Exeter City – free)

One option that I looked at when doing this that I think would be a smart addition for County is Exeter City wide man Demetri Mitchell.

Mitchell has spent the season with The Grecians, albeit has out injured for the most part, but I think that he showed he was more than capable – and indeed one of the better performers, in fact – in League One during his time in the first-team with City.

The former Manchester United trainee is out of contract with City this summer and is currently in discussions with regards to a potential deal, and so now is the time in which County would have to strike to get the midfielder. And, in doing so, I think they would add a really smart player.

While he is clearly enjoying his time in Devon, the offer of a deal with Stockport County offers him the chance to remain a League One player along with the adage of being closer to home and his Manchester roots; I imagine that would appeal to him immensely. That could be the key factor to sway this deal.

County have operated with a rather narrow midfield this term, however adding a player like Mitchell gives more natural width, a flexibility in midfield given his ability to play multiple roles, a lovely left-foot and good technical competencies. He is an upgrade on what they have in this area, and I like this one a lot.

Louie Barry (Aston Villa – loan)

A signing suggestion that is certainly not going to win any prizes for creativity, but one that County will no doubt be pushing for; the return of Louie Barry.

Barry spent the first part of the campaign with Stockport County and was excelling at Edgeley Park, prior to Barry eventually suffering a nasty injury that ruled out him for the much of the remainder of the season. And, now that they are in a higher division, I would find it highly likely – and indeed logical – that The Hatters made a move to try and bring Barry back to the club with a case of unfinished business.

Given that Barry has had some unsuccessful loan spells out in the EFL prior to signing for County, the fact that he was in such good form – 9 goals in 21 appearances – makes it likely (to me, at least) that Barry would favour a return to Edgeley Park; it was clearly an environment that was getting the best out of him.

The youngster is on the books of top flight outfit Aston Villa and a pathway into the first-team with The Villains looks unlikely, and so I do envisage that he will be sent out on loan to continue his development.

Thus, I think it makes a lot of sense for him to finish what he started, now with the adage of getting game time at a higher level. He is a versatile attacker, and one who I think would be welcomed back with open arms.

Dajaune Brown (Derby County – loan)

Stockport County need to strengthen their attack this summer, especially in wake of losing Paddy Madden. One option that I think they should consider – who will no doubt have a lot of interest – is Derby County man Dajaune Brown.

Simon Wilson remains interest in the non-league market despite their promotion, and one they have shown to recruit from. Dajaune Brown is – therefore – a player they will have no doubt watched during Brown’s loan spell with fifth tier outfit Gateshead this term, one in which he certainly impressed.

The young Rams forward was in such good form with Wor Club that he displaced Marcus Dinanga from the starting eleven. Brown is a big, physical forward that has dynamic movement, is powerful, aggressive in his press, can play short or in behind, and has demonstrated he is a good finisher; the complete striker, if you will.

After proving himself more than capable in – and arguably too good for – the National League, I think that an EFL move may be his next step and joining a team in League One – with a need for a striker as County do – makes sense.

The only reason as to why I think this may be a bit of a non-starter is any such ambitions for County to play Brown in the first-team in the Championship next year, but if I was in The Rams’ position then a League One loan with a view to integrating into their side in the 2025-26 campaign would make the most sense.