Stockport County misfortune may cause regret over Exeter City move | OneFootball

An injury sustained against Hull City may leave Hatters fans with some questions

New Stockport County recruit Tayo Edun took a knock in a pre-season friendly against Hull City and was later spotted looking worse for wear.

Injuries in warm-up matches are nothing new at Edgeley Park, similar happened to loanee Tayo Adaramola this time last year, but this one may cause an even greater headache.

Going into the game, Edun was the Hatters’ only out-and-out left-back option, with Ethan Pye the only other senior player with any level of experience in the role, who will undoubtedly be required in the centre of defence.

Having shipped out left-back Ryan Rydel on loan to division rivals Exeter City, that earlier move may begin to raise further questions following Edun’s setback, but the Hatters are already looking at solutions.

Edun’s injury leaves the Hatters shorter than they’d like to be

The Hatters signed Edun on a free transfer from Peterborough United to bolster an area that had been left short with the expiry of Ibby Touray’s contract and the loan move for Rydel.

The former England youth international was in from the start in County’s final pre-season game against Hull, but took a knock around the half-hour mark that required treatment and ultimately saw him withdrawn from the pitch.

Things went from bad to worse when a fan spotted Edun departing Edgeley Park using what appeared to be crutches and a protective boot, suggesting a potentially lengthier recovery period.

Just over a week out from County’s first game of the season against Bolton Wanderers, the Hatters were at risk of heading into the fixture without a specialist left-back, a job that would likely see Pye dragged out of the centre of defence.

Rydel’s loan could now raise further eyebrows

The setback understandably reignites questions that were being asked as soon as it was revealed that Rydel was heading to Exeter on loan for the season.

He is clearly highly rated in SK3, having been handed a three-year contract only last year, but at 24 years old, with 105 County appearances to his name, he is beyond the age of needing to go out to get experience and is well into his ACL recovery, having returned to the pitch last year.

It therefore raised eyebrows among many that the Hatters would let a player of his profile leave, in a position that had two clear and strong competitors but no understudies, whilst at the same time strengthening a fellow League One side.

Edun’s injury shows precisely why “two quality players in every position” is more than just cliché, as Rydel would have had access to minutes right from the start of the season had he remained.

County are moving quickly to rectify the situation

But there is still time to rectify the situation, and the Hatters are making strong moves to do precisely that.

According to reports from journalist Graeme Bailey, County have moved ahead of Luton Town in the race for Burnley left-back Owen Dodgson on loan, the 22-year-old having spent the second half of last season in the same division with Burton Albion.

Maybe getting in another left-back was always the plan, and maybe Rydel’s loan is the start of the Hatters moving in another direction in that position, but it feels like a gamble was taken sanctioning the exit before sufficient cover had been established.

Dodgson may arrive in the nick of time to save the day, but the Hatters may hold some regret in their early summer business if they’re forced to start the season without a recognised left-back.