Wrexham and Stockport County both interested in Man United player ahead of January | OneFootball

Two rivals that have battled each other from non-league to League One are set to go against each other for a Red Devils talent

League One promotion contenders Wrexham and Stockport County are both keen on striking a loan deal for Man United starlet Ethan Wheatley in the upcoming January transfer window.

The Red Dragons and the Hatters have done battle in three different leagues over the period of three years, but they are also in the same market when it comes to recruitment too.

With both sides in the midst of promotion battles from the third tier of English football, managers Phil Parkinson and Dave Challinor are looking to bolster their strikeforces, and one particular player at Old Trafford has caught their attention.

Man United striker Ethan Wheatley on Wrexham & Stockport County radar

According to a report from The Wrexham Insider, transfer guru Graeme Bailey has been told that Wrexham and County are keen to land 18-year-old Man United forward Wheatley.

The teenager has come through the Red Devils' youth system, and was handed a first-team debut in April 2024 by Erik ten Hag when coming off the bench against Sheffield United in a Premier League match at Old Trafford.

Wheatley has made four appearances for United in all competitions so far in his young career, and he has been an unused substitute five times in the Premier League this season, with most of his game-time coming for the club's under-21's this season.

His tally in the Premier League 2 competition this season stands at four goals from just seven appearances, which includes a hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Norwich City, and the Old Trafford hierarchy may see the the striker as ready for a loan move despite only being 18 years of age.

Stockport County may hold the edge over Wrexham in Ethan Wheatley transfer chase

Both clubs are set to be in the market for a striker in January for different reasons - Stockport look likely to lose Louie Barry back to Aston Villa at the start of 2025, with the reported plans being to send the versatile attacker to a Championship club to see if he can continue to progress - that would open the gap for a new striker signing for Challinor.

Wrexham meanwhile have not seen Paul Mullin make the step up to League One, having only found the back of the net once in 16 appearances - their current top scorer Jack Marriott is sidelined through injury, and some fresh impetus is needed to add to Steven Fletcher, Ollie Palmer and Mo Faal, whilst Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is only contracted until the end of December.

What may swing the deal in Stockport's favour however is that Wheatley is Stockport born and bred, so the chance to play for his hometown club for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign may be too good of an opportunity to turn down.