Lincoln City were held to a draw this weekend at home against Reading, in a game their supporters felt they should perhaps have lost.

The Imps still gained ground on the club directly above them, Blackpool, and didn’t find those clinging onto their coattails getting any closer either. With new manager Michael Skubala only a month or so into his reign, there are a lot of reasons to be positive around the LNER Stadium, even if the game this weekend is not one of them.

The club have had a horrible time with injuries this campaign, losing their two main strikers, Ben House and Tyler Walker, in late August. Neither has returned, and Reeco Hackett picking up an injury a month later that he hasn’t returned from is another blow. Lewis Montsma, a standout performer when the Imps made the League One play-offs in 2020/21, is out with his second ACL injury, and this weekend, star midfielder Ethan Erhahon also missed out.

That means that come January, they’ll be eager to add to the squad and bolster their chances of a top-six finish. They might do so with one eye on the summer – which players could be moving on for free when the summer window opens?

We’ve turned to Transfermarkt to see which players they are scheduled to lose and which of the others in the squad are not definitely out of contract but could be approaching the end of their deals.

Out of contract

Mide Shodipo

The first player out of contract in 2024 is winger Mide Shodipo. The former QPR man was on loan with the Imps last season but didn’t get a deal when he left Loftus Road in the summer. He trialed with their opponents on Saturday, Reading, but was still a free agent once the window closed. He returned in early October to help bridge the gap at the top end of the field, but has appeared in the league just four times from the bench, scoring once. He’s due to leave in January when his short-term deal expires.

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Lasse Sorensen

Danish wing-back Sorensen has been a revelation in 2023, switching to the defensive area of the field due to necessity. However, after playing primarily as a centre midfielder with mixed results, the energetic 24-year-old has become a firm fan favourite. He’s started 23 matches in all competitions this season, scoring four times. When he signed, the deal was specified as ‘undisclosed long term’, but Transfermarkt believes he is out of contract in the summer.

Danny Mandroiu

Another player whose deal length was not specified but is listed as being out of contract this summer is Irish winger Danny Mandroiu. Mandroiu only joined the club in 2022 from Shamrock Rovers, and has proven to be a skillful figure. It was Mandroiu who got singled out for criticism by former boss Mark Kennedy in the days before he was relieved of his duties. Like Sorensen, he has four goals in 18 starts.

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Lewis Montsma

Montsma has had a terrible time with injury. He tore an ACL in January 2022 in a game against Oxford United, signing a new deal just days later before returning in January 2023. After a three-game suspension for an off-the-ball incident in a game against Bristol Rovers, he returned, only to damage his ACL on March 25th. His current deal is due to expire this summer.

Possibles

Transfermarkt does not have either of these players listed as being out of contract, but both are in their third season at the club and could feasibly see the end of their deal approaching.

Teddy Bishop

Skilful midfielder Bishop joined the Imps in the summer of 2021 from Ipswich Town. His time has been injury hit, with many short absences from the team. Since he signed, he’s started 54 League One matches, coming off the bench 21 times and scoring nine goals. He hobbled off injured on Saturday and may well be out of contract in the summer.

Hakeeb Adelakun

Adelakun also joined in 2021 under former coach Michael Appleton and has had a much tougher time than the injury-plagued Bishop. He has started just 20 League One matches and appeared a further 20 times from the bench – eight of those starts have come this season. He spent time on loan with Gillingham and, despite netting four times this season, is widely seen by supporters as surplus to requirements. It’s likely his ‘long term’ deal is also coming to an end this summer.