Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst has confirmed to BBC Radio Humberside that the club have made contact with League One side Cheltenham Town about the potential availability of bringing back on-loan striker George Lloyd in the summer.
The 23-year-old joined the League Two side on January transfer deadline day on loan until the end of the season and has so enjoyed his time in a black and white shirt, with the striker notching up four goals and four assists in 16 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Before his short loan spell at Blundell Park, Lloyd already has a bucket of experience playing for the Gloucestershire-based side, making a total of 107 appearances for the club in a spell which includes the striker coming up with ten goals and five assists for the Robins.
✍️ We are pleased to confirm the signing of forward George Lloyd on loan from Cheltenham Town for the rest of the season!#GTFC
— Grimsby Town F.C. (@officialgtfc) January 31, 2023
Lloyd, who also endured a brief loan spell at Port Vale for the first half of the 2021/22 season, has made 13 appearances for Wade Elliott’s side in the first half of the season before being loaned out to the North East Lincolnshire outfit on the search for more game time.
The Mariners currently lie 14th in the League Two table in their first season back in the EFL following promotion via the playoffs in the National League last season in spectacular fashion, in which the club finished in sixth position.
Speaking about the possibility of potentially bringing the striker back to Blundell Park in the summer following what has been so far a successful loan spell, Grimsby manager Paul Hurst has confirmed that the club have made contact with Cheltenham over potentially signing Lloyd again in the summer, but the Mariners boss expects the 23-year-old to return to his parent club for pre-season for them to take a closer look at him before making a decision.
When asked the question if the club were any closer to bringing back Lloyd for next season, Hurst replied: “No, we haven’t gone any further than that at this stage.
“To be honest, we’ve had contact with Cheltenham and as I’ve said all along, they’re expecting him (George Lloyd) to be back with them and they’ll look at him in pre-season.
“That is what I would expect to happen.”
He looks good, looks fine 🥰 pic.twitter.com/CI6k3eKig6
— Grimsby Town F.C. (@officialgtfc) April 11, 2023
Writers View
I think it is fair to say that George Lloyd has taken to his loan spell at Grimsby like a duck to water and has been one of the standout players for the Mariners in recent weeks with his unbelievable work rate as well as the forward pinching in with a few goals himself that would only have boosted his confidence.
I think there isn’t much of a secret that the club would like to get Lloyd back over the summer, potentially on a permanent deal, but as Paul Hurst has mentioned, the decision is firmly in the hands of Cheltenham Town, who will most likely take a look at him over the summer before making any conclusions over his future.
Whatever was to happen with Lloyd come the beginning of next season, it is sure that his loan spell at Blundell Park would have done him the world of good in terms of his confidence and his all-around threat leading the line at the top end of the pitch.
