Ennis departs Manchester United permanently for Stockport County with sell-on clause

Ethan Ennis has left Manchester United to join Stockport County on a permanent three-year deal, the clubs confirmed, with United securing a fee, a 50 per cent sell-on clause, a buyback option, and matching rights as part of the agreement.

The 21-year-old winger joined United’s academy five years ago, having turned down a contract with Liverpool. He gained senior experience through loan spells at Doncaster Rovers and Fleetwood Town in League Two before stepping up to League One with the Hatters.

Ennis marked his departure with an emotional statement on Instagram. “After a rollercoaster five years the time has come to move on from Manchester United,” he wrote. “I’ll always be grateful for the memories, the people and the experiences that have shaped me both on and off the pitch. It’s been an honour to wear the shirt and represent this club.”

He added: “I want to say a big thank you to all my coaches, staff and teammates for making my time here so special. It’s something I’ll always cherish and look back on with pride.”

Several of Ennis’s former United academy team-mates responded to the post with well-wishes, including Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fletcher, Shea Lacey, Dan Gore, and Jack Moorhouse.

Stockport recruitment director Jonathan Smith revealed the deal had originally been structured as a loan before the club moved to make it permanent. “Ethan was initially made available to us on a loan basis,” Smith said. “So to be able to turn that into a permanent deal feels like a real coup for the club. We’ve had a number of conversations with him and, a few weeks ago, Ethan came to the Preston game with me so he could see first-hand our style, structure and the environment we’re creating here.”

The protective clauses United inserted into the deal reflect the club’s belief that Ennis retains significant upside, ensuring they can benefit financially or reclaim the player should he develop into a higher-level performer.