Stockport County pushing to seal Bolton Wanderers transfer after Barnsley blow | OneFootball

Stockport County are eyeing a deal for a Bolton Wanderers star after Barnsley recalled Corey O'Keeffe from his loan.

Stockport County are eyeing a transfer deal with League One rivals Bolton Wanderers in the January transfer window, with both sides in the hunt for promotion to the Championship.

Dave Challinor's side are only in their fourth season of EFL football, having gained promotion from the National League in 2021/22 and the National League North in 2018/19. They have been one of the most ambitious and successful teams in England for almost a decade now.

Having finished third last season and lost in the play-off semi-finals, their aim is to go again. That means bolstering their ranks this winter, but Bolton et al. provide stern competition in the hunt for promotion.

Following a last-gasp 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town, Stockport are up to fourth and sat three points above both Bolton and Huddersfield. It also leaves them six points off Lincoln City in second. Reinforcements this month could be crucial to what happens at the top of League One.

Stockport County eye deal for Bolton Wanderers wing-back Josh Dacres-Cogley

Having had Corey O'Keefe play in 23 games as the right-sided wing-back in the first half of the campaign, he has since been recalled by Conor Hourihane at Barnsley in the last few days. It leaves a gap in Challinor's squad in that area.

Stockport are now looking to fill it through a signing from another promotion hopeful. Bolton's Josh Dacres-Cogley is competing with Cyrus Christie under Steven Schumacher's tutelage and the 29-year-old is in the final six months of his contract.

Alan Nixon reports that Stockport are eyeing a move for Dacres-Cogley to fill the space vacated by O'Keefe. Jack Hunt has performed well when called upon and Jayden Fevrier was utilised down the right against Huddersfield.

However, Dacres-Cogley has a wealth of League One experience as a natural attack-minded right-back, or as a specialist right wing-back. Whether Bolton will be willing to let him go to a team rivalling them for promotion remains to be seen.

Josh Dacres-Cogley's career stats

Since leaving Birmingham in 2021, Dacres-Cogley has had to work his way back up the leagues. He was with Tranmere Rovers in League Two for a few seasons before Bolton picked him up in 2023/24.

Including play-off matches, Dacres-Cogley has 102 League One appearances under his belt. He has four goals and 15 assists in those games, and it's easy to see why Challinor is keen to have quality delivery down the right.

With Owen Dodgson's excellent crossing from the left, it could give Kyle Wootton and co. plenty to feed off in attack. Dacres-Cogley has also captained Bolton on occasion, meaning he is the kind of character Challinor wants as well.