3 strikers Stockport County must consider if Wrexham AFC win Man Utd transfer race | OneFootball

There are a number of promising Premier League talents the Hatters could switch their attention to

Stockport County and Wrexham AFC could be set to do battle in the January transfer window over Manchester United academy striker Ethan Wheatley.

The two clubs have been linked with an interest in the 18-year-old striker by journalist Graeme Bailey, via the Wrexham Insider.

This news comes as there is much speculation about another Premier League loanee at Edgeley Park, Louie Barry, and whether he is likely to be recalled by Aston Villa due to his electric form in the first half of this season.

Many factors can make or break where a club decides to send their young players, so Football League World have taken a look at three other candidates the Hatters could look at if they lose out on this one to Wrexham…

Jemiah Umolu

The key to why Wheatley is so sought after at the moment rests on his blend of physical attributes and instinct in front of goal.

He may not be the archetypal no.9 in the mould of Kyle Wootton, constantly engaging in aerial battles, but his frame allows him to match the strength of his opposing defenders, and he has a turn of pace not too commonly seen in a player of his profile.

Jemiah Umolu of Crystal Palace does, however, possess similar attributes to Wheatley, as shown in the hat-trick he scored recently against Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-21s.

The mix of pace and strength makes him difficult to defend against when playing balls into the channels — and also helps a great deal with pressing, as shown in his second goal on the same night — with his accuracy in the finish ensuring those physical attributes can have a devastating impact.

The 19-year-old currently has an impressive eight goals in eight Premier League 2 appearances, making him the division’s current top goalscorer.

Khayon Edwards

A similar profile can be found at another London club, this time Arsenal, in young striker Khayon Edwards.

He is a similarly mobile no.9 to Wheatley and has also been having an impressive season in PL2, notching five in six appearances so far.

The 21-year-old did get a senior loan last season, with League One outfit Leyton Orient, but struggled to make an impact, appearing seven times without a goal involvement.

County have heard that story before, however. Barry was coming off the back of a string of relatively unconvincing loans in the lower stretches of the Football League, before turning him into one of the most sought-after young players in the third tier and above, so they know how to transform strong academy talent into promising senior performances.

Emilio Lawrence

Manchester City’s Emilio Lawrence offers a different profile to Wheatley and the previous two suggestions, but if the idea behind the Wheatley signing was to pick up some of the slack left behind by a potential Barry recall, then Lawrence may be just the candidate required.

He can play across the front three — a profile clearly desired by decision-makers at Edgeley Park following the signings of Barry, Jack Diamond and Jayden Fevrier this summer — and is comfortable both creating and scoring, with four goals and six assists in PL2 this term.

At 19 years old, some senior experience would surely be a bonus. Plus, not only are the two clubs local to each other, but Lawrence has also spent the last couple of years in both the City and Scotland youth setups, much like current Hatter Lewis Fiorini, so on paper few loan moves would offer quite as smooth a transition to the senior game.