Lincoln City have confirmed the signing of winger Reeco Hackett-Fairchild from fellow League One side Portsmouth, joining for an undisclosed fee, but what will he bring to the club?
The 25-year-old has ended a three-year spell at Fratton Park, to join the Imps, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, after he fell out of favour and was transfer listed by John Mousinho’s side.
Last season, both clubs secured a top-half finish in League One. Portsmouth finished the campaign in 8th place, seven points outside of the play-off places after showing an excellent turn of form, following the departure of Danny Cowley.
Meanwhile, Lincoln City finished the season in 11th place, picking up 62 points, eight behind Portsmouth and 15 off the play-off places in League One.
As for Hackett-Fairchild, he made 33 league appearances last season at Fratton Park, with the majority of them, coming off the substitute bench. In that time he scored three goals and assisted a further two. He also scored three goals in 11 cup appearances last season.
The Imps have recruited well thus far, landing Sutton United midfielder Alistair Smith, fending off interest from several other EFL sides for his signature.
However, one question on a lot of fans lips is exactly what Hackett-Fairchild would bring to Sincil Bank next season and what the clubs supporters can expect from their second summer signing.
Therefore, let’s take a look at everything the winger can bring to the Imps for the 2023/24 League One campaign…
Versatility
Hackett-Fairchild can play anywhere across the front-three, giving Mark Kennedy’s side an improved amount of options going forward next season.
The 25-year-old is naturally a winger and can play either left-wing, given he is left footed or he can cut inside on the right-hand side. Similarly, he can also operate as a centre forward if required, making him a tactical nightmare for opposition managers, as he can play in any role.
Height
According to TransferMarkt, the winger is 6ft2, making him one of the taller forward players in the division. This gives the Imps an advantage from set-pieces, as they’ll have another player they can target.
The height also bolsters his physicality, making him a difficult opposition player for full-backs to face, especially ones that lack the increased amount of physicality.
Three-Year Deal
One thing that isn’t always spoken about when a player signs, is the financial side of the deal and how the signing benefits the club in the long-term. In this instance, Hackett-Fairchild has signed a three-year contract with the club, ensuring that if he has a standout season, the Imps would be entitled to a significant transfer fee.
It also protects themselves if the deal doesn’t quite come off, or he has a change of heart and wants to move on after a season. Therefore, although a three-year deal means a longer period of wages, it also means that the value for the player also increases to meet the additional length of contract.
Experience
Admittedly, the winger has only played 70 matches in League One, throughout his career, but they mainly for Portsmouth, a side that are a consistent top-half side in the third tier and is something that not many of the Lincoln City team have currently.
In that time, he’s contributed to 11 goals, which may not seem a lot but given the majority of his appearances have been as a substitute, it certainly makes him a more appealing player to sign.
Lincoln fans, How happy are you with your latest addition?
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