Oldham swoop for Bury's Stephens

Bury midfielder Dale Stephens will move to Oldham on 1 July after rejecting the offer of a new deal at Gigg Lane.

The Latics have had a cash offer for the 20-year-old, who is out of contract at Bury, turned down.

Instead the transfer fee is likely to be set by a tribunal as the Shakers are due compensation because of the home-grown youngster's age.

"Dale is a signing for the future," Oldham chief executive Alan Hardy told the club website.

"He is still a young lad and has only a few first-team games under his belt, so it is likely that he will not figure in the first-team starting line-up at the beginning of the season."

Stephens played 12 times for Bury, including the 2-2 draw with Bradford City when he scored the goal voted the club's 2007/8 goal of the season.

He won his first full-time Bury contract under ex-boss Chris Casper.