Cody Johnson loaned out? Stockport County must sort these 3 issues before August 30th | OneFootball

The Hatters have started their business early, but there are still a few issues to resolve before the August deadline

Highlights

Stockport County have set about concluding business early this summer, but there are still some unresolved issues that will need rectifying before the August deadline.

June has seen five players arrive at Edgeley Park - bolstering the defence, midfield and attack - and closing many of the gaps that existed in the squad.

There are some exciting names that will pull on the blue and white shirt next term, but it's not job done for the County decision-makers just yet.

Here, FLW looks at the remaining issues that the Hatters still need to sort before the end of the summer...

Cody Johnson

Cody Johnson made a promising start to the 2023/24 season after having his Rochdale loan terminated near the beginning of the campaign; the most memorable appearance coming away at Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

Following that bout, Johnson got a couple of league starts but struggled for minutes for the remainder of the season, later bagging a short-term loan to Scarborough Athletic.

The 20-year-old is one of the most promising players to have risen through the youth ranks at County in recent years, but regular game time at a high standard is the necessary next step for his development.

With the Hatters having jumped up a league and being strongest in the midfield department, consistent minutes were already looking tricky. That picture hasn't improved from Johnson's perspective with the signings of Callum Connolly, Lewis Bate and Jay Mingi. All will be vying for similar positions and Johnson could be the one to lose out.

He should be allowed leave on loan, at a good standard, and remain there for the full season, so the backroom staff can understand where he's at and likely to go.

Ashton Mee

Much the same applies for Ashton Mee, only he would likely find himself below Johnson in the pecking order at Edgeley Park.

Director of football, Simon Wilson, has already declared in a recent interview with club media that Mee is the next on the conveyor belt of young talent coming out of Carrington and will be going out on loan for the next campaign.

It remains to be seen at what level Wilson opts to place Mee, but he wants the 18-year-old to follow a similar trajectory to Johnson and Ethan Pye, who have both had successful loans and later found first-team opportunities to varying degrees.

Louie Barry

Since the pursuit of Louie Barry was mentioned by County owner Mark Stott in his end-of-season round-up with club media, it's rare that a new signing announced by the Hatters isn't met with questions about the Aston Villa man's progress.

A failure to land the 21-year-old before the August deadline may lead some to question how wise it was to fuel the Barry speculation before a deal was close, but if nothing else it shows how ambitious Stott is.

The Villans have a pre-season tour across the United States at the end of July and into the beginning of August, so it may be that the Midlands club want one last look at Barry before any final decisions are made.

It's easy to see how this saga could drag on throughout the summer, but County need to have it sorted one way or the other by the end of August.

Executive-level communication with fans since Stott came in has been strong, and it could be required again if Barry doesn't return to Edgeley Park. No promises were made, but hopes are definitely up. Supporters will want to know how negotiations this summer have unfolded.