Stockport County, who won League Two and were promoted last season, will be waiting in the window for some much-needed reinforcements.
Malik Wilks of Sheffield Wednesday is one player that Dave Challinor is considering adding to his team. Along with Reading and Charlton Athletic, County is reportedly very keen in competing for the English winger.
According to this report from Football Insider, the 25-year-old may be eligible for a loan from one of the interested parties or a permanent transfer. Experienced in both League One and Championship competition, Wilks has most recently played for Barnsley, Hull City, and Wednesday.
This transfer window, County has already revealed one signing: Jay Mingi, who joins from Colchester United. The 23-year-old has joined the League Two winners of the previous season and, should a move come to pass, he may be paired with Wilks.
He only made 15 appearances in the second division for Danny Röhl’s team last season, and he failed to score any goals. It was a very bad campaign for the Owls. On the plus side, though, Wilks has excelled in the last two League One seasons. The Englishman made 44 league appearances for the Tigers in 2020–21, scoring 19 goals. In 2018–19, the winger scored 14 goals in League One for Doncaster Rovers.
The former Barnsley player, whose first team involvement has decreased under Röhl, will probably be looking for a more reliable starting position. Stockport, a new team to the league, will play two teams looking to bounce back from disappointing seasons last year with more ambitious plans for their upcoming campaigns.
Using a With a somewhat limited sample size, FotMob indicates that Wilks is a very deft winger who is dedicated to defensive work; he is ranked in the 92nd and 97th percentiles for recoveries and duels won per 90. This is an analysis of comparable player profiles from the Championship game of the previous year.
A recently promoted team will find it challenging to compete against Reading and Charlton, two of the biggest teams, in the upcoming season. But Wilks might find Stockport’s upward trajectory alluring, since a more stable starting position seems likely.
The former Hull City player might succeed in Challinor’s bright squad if a deal is reached. Over his previous numerous experiences in the third division, Wilks has already shown himself to be explosive. This might be the ideal transition for both sides this summer, given the remaining development possibilities.
