Barrow have found out what price they will need to pay in order to secure the return of Cole Stockton.
The Salford City forward is on the fringes of Karl Robinson’s plans following the signing of Ryan Graydon from Fleetwood Town, failing to play a single minute in their win over promotion rivals Swindon Town.
However, in order to recoup some of the reported £500,000 fee paid for the Irish forward, the Ammies have stated their price in order to allow a Stockton exit.
Barrow Learn Fee
According to Alan Nixon, Salford will demand a £100,000 fee from Barrow to sign Cole Stockton, who was impressive on loan at Holker Street prior to his move to Greater Manchester.
Earlier this week, the Bluebirds were linked with the 31-year-old as part of their new plans under Paul Gallagher, who took charge of his first game against Crewe Alexandra yesterday.
It had been reported that there may have been a sticking point in negotiations with Salford not wanting to sell to promotion rivals, but with eighteen points separating Barrow from Notts County in seventh, that concern may become less prevalent.
Stockton’s contract at Moor Lane expires in the summer, with this window marking the last chance City can recoup a fee for a striker they signed on a free transfer after his exit from Burton Albion.
Is Stockton The Right Choice?
A player who performed reasonably well during his time in Furness, a move for Cole Stockton to return to Barrow makes sense but is perhaps risky considering recent form.
With Ryan Graydon now replacing him as a regular forward option for Salford City, his minutes under Karl Robinson are likely to diminish, highlighting a need for him to move on this window.
After Barrow missed out on another potential loan target in former player Emile Acquah, who moved to Harrogate, the Bluebirds are in desperate need of a second forward option to support Isaac Fletcher, who has been the club’s only dependable goalscorer.
However, with just half a season left on his contract and a steep six-figure price, a move for Stockton may come unstuck this window, and Barrow may wait for his contract to expire.
Whether the Bluebirds bite the bullet and pay up now remains to be seen, but it would be unsurprising if more negotiations continue to bring down a transfer fee.