Exclusive: Stockport County set to raid Rochdale AFC for midfielder Corey Edwards | OneFootball

Rochdale teenager Corey Edwards is set to head to Edgeley Park

Stockport County have agreed a transfer deal with fellow Greater Manchester side Rochdale AFC for teenage midfielder Corey Edwards, sources have exclusively informed Football League World.

The Hatters have been invested in heavily in the last few years by owner Mark Stott, to the point where they finished third in League One last season - just one year after their promotion from League Two as the division's champions.

A second successive promotion faltered at the semi-final phase of the play-offs though as Leyton Orient knocked them out on penalties, but manager Dave Challinor has been backed this summer, with high-profile permanent additions such as Brad Hills, Malik Mothersille and the loan addition of Stoke City striker Nathan Lowe.

Stockport have also invested in younger talent over the years as well, and they are set to pluck a highly-rated youngster from one of their local neighbours further down the English footballing pyramid.

Stockport County on the verge of signing Rochdale AFC's Corey Edwards

FLW has been told that teenage Rochdale midfielder Corey Edwards is set to sign for Stockport County, despite only signing his first professional contract at Spotland back in May.

The 18-year-old came through Dale's youth academy - one which also brought through current County star Ethan Pye - before making his first-team debut for the National League outfit on New Year's Day 2024 as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat against AFC Fylde.

Edwards would make just one more fifth tier appearance that season at the age of 16, but towards the end of last season, the young central midfielder was given a chance by manager Jim McNulty, appearing in six of the club's last seven league fixtures - five of those being starts - and impressing enough to the point where Stockport are ready to raid them for his services.

He soon signed a professional contract after his end of season showings for Rochdale, but after appearing in pre-season, Edwards has yet to appear in a matchday squad in the 2025-26 campaign - he is now set to depart for pastures new, although he is likely to be inserted into Stockport's under-21's setup initially, given their depth in midfield areas.

Despite injuries to Callum Camps and Lewis Bate - the latter who is not expected back until 2026 - Stockport have depth in the central midfield area, with Oliver Norwood, Lewis Fiorini, Odin Bailey, Ashton Mee and Owen Moxon presenting options for Challinor to choose from, meaning when Edwards signs on the dotted line, he may have to wait for his chance to step up into County's first-team squad.