Stockport County officially sign Manchester United forward

Stockport County came agonisingly close to reaching the Championship last season after finishing third in League One.

The Hatters reached Wembley twice during a campaign that ultimately ended in disappointment.

They lost 3-1 to Luton Town in the EFL Trophy final before suffering a 4-1 defeat against Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final.

Dave Challinor subsequently left Edgeley Park, with Jimmy McNulty appointed as his successor and tasked with building another promotion challenge.

Stockport have now strengthened McNulty’s squad by completing the permanent signing of Manchester United forward Ethan Ennis for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old has signed a three-year contract and arrives after an impressive season on loan at Fleetwood Town, where he was named the club’s Sponsors’ Player of the Year.

Stockport confirmed the transfer on their official website, with McNulty saying: “Ethan is a really exciting addition for the football club, and I’m delighted to welcome him to Edgeley Park as part of our County team.

“Ethan has had a unique education as a footballer, having been developed by two of the biggest and most successful clubs in the country. As a result, he is a player who has all the attributes to succeed at this level and higher over the next few years of his career.”

Recruitment director Jonathan Smith added: “Ethan is a very quick and direct player. He wants to get at opponents, attack space and make things happen, and we feel his attributes fit really well with the way we want to play.”

Ennis made 46 appearances across all competitions for Fleetwood last season, contributing six goals and eight assists while operating as a wing-back and further forward on either flank.

The versatile attacker began his career with boyhood club Liverpool but rejected a new deal and moved to Manchester United in 2021, becoming the first player in 57 years to transfer directly between the rivals.

Ennis signed his first professional contract shortly after turning 17 and was part of the United squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022.

He gained sustained senior experience on loan at Doncaster Rovers in the second half of 2024/25, making 17 appearances and helping Grant McCann’s side win the League Two title.

His productive year at Fleetwood then demonstrated his readiness for regular senior football, and the permanent move to Stockport ends his five-year stay at Old Trafford.