The 2 Stockport County players who could attract serious transfer interest this summer | OneFootball

It's set to be an important summer for Stockport County as they prepare for their first League One season in well over a decade.

The focus will naturally be on who is coming through the doors at Edgeley Park, but there may also be some work to be done in keeping hold of some of the team's best performers from the previous campaign.

Both players on this list are currently under contract at Stockport, so a transfer fee would be required, but even a big-money bid may not tempt the Hatters.

Here, FLW looks at two players who could attract interest this summer...

Ethan Pye

Ethan Pye has experienced a breakthrough season at Edgeley Park following previous successful campaigns on loan at the likes of Gateshead and Spennymoor Town.

The 21-year-old was brought into the first-team fold at the beginning of the season by manager Dave Challinor, but few could have predicted quite the impact he would have in such a short time.

He made 35 league appearances for the Hatters throughout the campaign, all but one of which was from the first whistle, and he also chipped in with a goal and an assist.

Pye has formed a key defensive partnership with Fraser Horsfall and is comfortable playing as part of a centre-back pair, on the left of a three or at left-back.

Although still prone to rare rash moments of judgement, as to be expected in a young defender, he is solid at the back, able to make vital interceptions and last-ditch tackles. Along with that, he's also extremely comfortable on the ball and calm when receiving the ball under pressure.

Add to that the fact that he's left-footed, one of the most sought-after traits in a defender in the modern game, and Pye comes out with just about every trait that makes a defender valuable in today's market, meaning interest will be high.

Bids may well come in, and they will likely be high if they do, but County fans can rest assured that Pye has recently just signed a new three-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2027.

It's a sign of just how attractive the project is at Edgeley Park that a promising young talent like Pye wants to commit his future in such a substantial way, rather than weigh up the market and see what other offers might be out there.

The new contract doesn't prevent clubs from submitting bids, of course, but it means the ball will be firmly in County's court in any scenario that does arise, and on recent evidence, it seems it would take something groundbreaking to take him away from the club.

Tanto Olaofe

Tanto Olaofe looked promising when he first arrived at Edgeley Park but was often a bit raw in front of goal.

That may have been true of last season, but this campaign has seen him morph into an entirely different beast.

In 43 League Two appearances for County, he netted 20 times and provided two assists, taking him to just over a goal contribution every other game.

He was the Hatters' top scorer on the way to the club becoming League Two champions - all non-penalty goals - but his all-round play has also really developed over the course of the season.

He's much more controlled in possession, has improved his decision-making, is now deadly when given half a chance to shoot and is a tireless presser, but he has also managed to maintain enough of his chaotic unpredictability that made him such a nightmare for defenders to begin with.

Still at just 24 years old, he's an exciting prospect and his strong showing in the fourth tier will have left many wondering where his ceiling is.

It has been revealed previously that Millwall hold a buy-back clause on Olaofe, the precise details of which have not been revealed, but they would still be required to convince the striker to sign a deal with them. Having had a previous bad experience in trying to break into the Lions' squad, this may not be too easy, especially when he has made such a strong impression as part of a club on the rise now just one division below.

Aside from Millwall's clause, County find themselves in a weaker position compared to Pye's contract status, with the deal Olaofe signed on joining the club running until the summer of 2025 and no sign yet of extension talks.

County must do everything in their power to keep Olaofe over this summer as, having just released Paddy Madden, that would mean the equivalent of 37 goals would need to be found either in the current squad or through business this summer. He's also an exciting talent that an ambitious club like the Hatters should be holding on to at this stage in their development.

The first task will be holding onto Olaofe this summer, but attention must then turn to sorting out his contract situation, which must not be allowed to run far into the next campaign, as losing him on a free would come as a double blow and should be avoided at all costs.