Stockport County sensationally beat Wrexham AFC to a transfer in 2023, but learnt a crucial lesson in the process | OneFootball

There are lessons to take from the Hatters’ capture of Nick Powell

Stockport County beat Wrexham AFC to the signing of Nick Powell in 2023, but it left the Hatters with some lessons to learn.

When available, Powell has looked a cut above at Edgeley Park, but his availability itself has been an issue since he arrived.

He signed a three-year deal with the Hatters in 2023, the length of contract likely a key reason behind his decision to drop down to League Two at the time.

It looked worth it in his first season but, somewhat predictably, County have not entirely got their money’s worth this term – the deal provides a lesson to learn when battling rivals for players in the future.

County battled Wrexham for Powell and won

In an interview with SPORTbible in 2023, Nick Powell confirmed that he had spoken with Wrexham, and fielded interest from Saudi Arabia, before deciding to join the Hatters.

He told the website: "I had a chat [with Wrexham].

"It was a really good chat. I'd never say anything bad about somebody that showed interest in me. I think that's just nice within itself. The conversation was good.

"I've got my reasons [joining Stockport]. And I still stand by them."

The forward is guarded about the precise reason for his choice, but made clear to SPORTbible it wasn’t all about money, his rejection of the Saudi Pro League in favour of League Two is strong evidence of that.

That, therefore, likely means the length of contract – potentially along with the genuinely attractive project at Edgeley Park – were driving factors.

Powell got off to a great start at County

In his first season, the length of his contract was rarely a consideration; he had spates of minor injuries, but 32 League Two appearances made him an almost ever-present in the Hatters’ side.

His three goals and one assist in the league that year may not jump off the page, but he offered a lot more than those numbers suggest, often starting moves off from deeper areas with a killer pass, controlling the tempo of a game from the centre and even, at points, playing a defensive-midfield role – his off-the-ball work an underrated quality in his game.

There was no doubt Powell played a key role in County’s title win that year, and having him at the club for another two years looked promising, but the following season was not to be as successful.

Injury struck Powell’s career again

In 2024/25, Powell has been unable to reach double figures in terms of league appearances, amounting to just three starts in total.

No criticism can be levelled at Powell himself: getting injured is not something he can control, and he appears to conduct himself with the utmost professionalism when available, but it is fair to question whether a three-year deal was ever wise from the club’s perspective.

In the two seasons before Powell arrived at Edgeley Park, he managed just 18 and then 25 appearances for Stoke City, suffering injury setbacks throughout.

It means that, while Powell cannot take any blame for the course of events, nor for securing the best deal possible for himself, his lack of availability in the 2024/25 season was not unpredictable for County.

If 2025/26 follows anything like the pattern of the previous campaign for Powell, it means the Hatters will have essentially paid a three-year contract for one solid year of performances.

It may be that the move never happens without the security of that three-year deal, but when faced with a similarly high-profile name in the future, County must ensure the deal works for them as much as it does the player, rather than possibly getting carried away battling other clubs, only to face the consequences further down the line.