Stockport County: Dave Challinor boost can follow Stoke City, Walsall development | OneFootball

The Hatters have goals to replace in their squad this January, and one option may just have become more likely

Stoke City striker Nathan Lowe’s recall from Walsall is big news for League One clubs, not least Stockport County.

The 19-year-old forward has been ripping up League Two, netting 15 goals and providing a further five assists in just 22 fourth-tier appearances.

Those headline stats made it clear that Lowe is already capable of a level higher than Walsall, meaning there was little shock when new Stoke manager Mark Robins sanctioned a recall for the youngster.

His next steps are still yet to be revealed, but it’d be a shock if League One side Stockport aren’t asking questions about his availability for loan.

The Hatters need a goalscorer

County will have plenty of sympathy for Walsall in losing a key man mid-season, as the exact same thing has happened at Edgeley Park.

Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry had similar stats to Lowe, albeit in League One, notching 15 goals and three assists in his 23 league outings for the Hatters, prompting a recall from the Premier League side.

It has yet to be decided whether Barry is heading back out on loan at a higher level, or remaining in the Villans’ first team, but it was clear he needed testing somewhere beyond the third tier.

That leaves a gap in County’s squad for a goalscorer, with Barry by some distance the top scorer for the Hatters this season, racking up nearly three times as many goals as Kyle Wootton in second place.

League One would represent a good stepping stone for Nathan Lowe

In this equation, that’s where Lowe would come in.

Like Barry, he’s also looking for a higher level to test himself, and County offer exactly that: a clear space in the squad, in a higher division, setting up for an exciting play-off push and a strong recent history of developing a loan player in Barry.

That next step would provide Lowe with some steady progression, warming him up to potentially make an impact on the Potters first team in the Championship next season, and give County a short-term helping hand in the process.

The Hatters have a strong case to make to Stoke regarding why they are the correct place to send Lowe, but there will be no shortage of third-tier clubs queuing up to ask about a young player who has been scoring for fun in the division below.

If County are to be one of those clubs to ask the question of Stoke though, his recall being confirmed is a massive step towards making it happen, and it's a deal that would give a huge boost to Stockport manager Dave Challinor for the second half of the season.

There’s no guarantee Nathan Lowe goes on loan

A loan is clearly one of the options that will be on the table for Lowe and Stoke, but despite how well it works on paper, no firm links have yet been made between the player and County.

Moreover, there’s no guarantee Lowe goes back out on loan at all.

Stoke are currently fielding interest in another one of their forwards, Tom Cannon, who could leave this January.

Robins brought Lowe back in to have a look at him in training before recalling him.

Clearly, he liked what he saw, and if Robins were to lose Cannon, there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t give Lowe an opportunity in the first team straight away, despite there being a big jump from League Two to the Championship.

Lowe being recalled was the vital first step to any club, including County, tempting him into their club on loan this January.

If interested, the Hatters must now work hard to convince Stoke that Edgeley Park would be the best place for Lowe to spend the second half of the season. It works on multiple fronts, and there’s something to be gained by all involved parties.