Stockport County will look to Carlisle United as proof that new transfer strategy will pay dividends: View | OneFootball

It has been reported by the i that Carlisle United hold a 15 per cent sell-on clause over Everton's promising young centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.

With the valuations placed on the 21-year-old this summer, the Cumbrians look to have laid down the blueprint for maximising revenues through player sales.

Stockport County owner Mark Stott has recently made his ambition to follow a similar strategy clear, stating in a recent interview that the Hatters will now look towards younger, high-potential players that will create value for the club.

It's likely that Stott will look towards the likes of Carlisle's Branthwaite move as inspiration for his club's upcoming transfer dealings.

If the reported sell-on clause for Branthwaite is correct, then the Cumbrians are set for a significant windfall in the near future if a transfer for the defender goes through.

The same report declares that the Toffees have put a £80million price tag on their man, meaning if they managed to bring that target fee in, Carlisle would be due a fee of around £12million.

Considering the original fee that saw the young prospect move to Goodison Park was just £1million back in January 2020, it is a significant mark-up over the course of a few years.

The sum would also be an incredible amount to bring in for a League Two side, not only for future player purchases, but also for bigger projects such as the potential for an upgraded training facility.

Funds would be crucial for County heading into negotiations

Branthwaite was local to the Cumbrians and so there is, of course, an element of luck that the next hot defensive prospect grew up on their doorstep, but Carlisle also had to be in a position to make the most of it.

With young Premier League stars like Phil Foden and Kobbie Mainoo both growing up in Stockport, there is no saying that County couldn't have recreated something similar in recent years. Stott has made clear that the next stage of his plan involves working on the Hatters' academy setup to ensure the club has the capacity to harness such talent.

Not only is that a positive outlook for the town, but the Branthwaite deal demonstrates the financial rewards on offer to the club when all goes to plan and they hit upon a diamond.

Stott also revealed in the interview that his team are currently wrangling with Aston Villa over a permanent deal for Louie Barry, in part because of what he will offer to the team now, but also for the potential to sell him on in a few years for a sizeable profit, having developed him through consistent first-team football.

Bringing in even a quarter of what Branthwaite's sell-on clause could deliver would likely cover a deal like Barry's, and the more deals of a similar calibre that the club can get under their belt, the more attractive a prospect the club becomes to the next young prospect who can see County as a path to the top of the pyramid.

The strategy appears right if the Hatters want to progress

Since Stott took the club over in 2020, the Hatters have been used to being one of the financial heavyweights in both the National League and League Two, but their promotion to League One sees that tide beginning to change, as they enter a division with the likes of Birmingham City, who will have far greater funds at their disposal.

Stott confirmed that he believes the club's budget to be in the top 10 in the third tier this year, still a comfortable position to be in, but a new element to overcome that has not been an issue in previous years.

Giving young players the platform to flourish and opening the possibility of large returns if they go on to progress to the highest level, even if they do not reach the heights that Branthwaite looks to be doing, is a smart way to redress the balance, potentially providing County with the tools to continue progressing even as they begin to meet their match financially.

Stott's new strategy is clear, but he will be buoyed further by seeing an example of his plan in action and working to great effect, as seems likely with the Branthwaite deal.