League Two side Stockport County could be set for a transfer coup with the club reportedly in talks with former Manchester United and Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley.

That is according to Football Insider, who claim that Bardsley and the club are in advanced talks over the veteran defender joining the fourth tier outfit.

Phil Bardsley is a free agent having left Burnley this past summer upon the expiry of his contract there.

During his time at Turf Moor, Bardsley made a total of 77 appearances for the Clarets.

The defender's career began at Manchester United, for whom he made a total of 18 appearances in the first team after coming through the youth ranks at the club.

Bardsley's other permanent clubs include Sunderland and Stoke City.

For the Black Cats, Bardsley featured between 2008 and 2016, appearing 200 times for the club.

At Stoke, whom he joined after departing Sunderland, he went on to feature 63 times.

In total, Bardsley has made over 400 career appearances to date, with 303 of these coming in the Premier League.

Ahead of his exit from Burnley in the summer, there were rumours that former Man Utd teammate Wayne Rooney was keen to bring Bardsley to Derby County.

Rooney eventually moved on, though, and no move materialised.

Having been born in Salford, a move to Stockport would see Bardsley playing his football very close to home.

The Verdict

This is definitely an eye catching one from Stockport County.

Whilst Barnsley is 37 and past his prime, at League Two level, there is undoubtedly plenty he can offer both on the pitch and in a leadership capacity.

He's been out of the game a few months now and clearly he is missing it, otherwise, you would question why he would drop to this level and not just hang up his boots.

It is undoubtedly a coup for Stockport should they get this one over the line.