Walsall could be set to lose ten-goal striker Freddie Darper this transfer window, as Imps boss Michael Skubala drops the biggest hint yet that he will be recalled.
As reported by The Stacey West, Skubala spoke about Draper in the aftermath of his side’s 1-0 defeat against Bolton Wanderers this afternoon. The Imps held out against the Trotters for 89 minutes despite going down to ten men with 20 minutes to go.
Danny Mandroiu was dismissed, having been part of a toothless attack that registered just three shots all game. The Imps were without the injured Jack Burroughs, Adam Jackson, Tyler Walker, Ben House and Reeco Hackett – the latter three all forward players. With Mandroiu now suspended, they’re down to the bare bones, and a recall for Draper is being suggested by fans and pundits alike
He’s been sensational since joining Walsall on loan and bagged his tenth goal of the season this afternoon as the Saddlers beat Crewe 2-0 at the Bescot Stadium. That prompted questions about Lincoln’s transfer policy over January, and Skubala admitted he is ‘excited’ about some players he may be getting back.
“There’s players that need to come back,” he said in his post-match interview. “I’m excited by some of the players that are coming back as well as going into the market as well.”
He was asked specifically if that included Draper, the teenage striker who has also had loan spells with Gainsborough Trinity and Drogheda in Ireland.
“(I’m) talking about players that are our players, that are injured or part of other clubs. We have to make decisions on those players because we’re going to need some reinforcements in January.
“He is one of our players. So we have to make the right decision for Freddie, but we have to make the right decision for the club at the moment as well.”
19-year-old Draper started his career at Derby County but was let go by them at 15. Lincoln brought him in to finish his education in their academy, and he quickly graduated to the first-team squad, making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in October 2021.
He fell out of favour with previous Imps’ boss Mark Kennedy, despite scoring his first goal for the club against Newcastle United U21s. He started the FA Cup elimination away at Chippenham Town in November 2022, only featuring once more under Kennedy as a last-minute sub in an EFL Cup game.
Since then, he’s had loan spells with Drogheda, scoring eight in 22 matches, and now Walsall, where he has ten in 18.
Writer’s View
Lincoln might be ninth in League One, but with a forward line, they’d be top six. They’ve got two-thirds of a team but almost nothing in the forward areas. Jovon Makama, a young striker who also followed Draper from Derby, is struggling to make an impact, whilst Mandroiu is seemingly often suspended or injured. Blackburn loanee Jack Vale has proven to be tigerish, but not suited to the Imps approach.
They desperately need players to return, and they need to reinforce that forward line. If they were looking to buy a player, a 19-year-old with ten EFL goals would be a really tasty prospect, so when he’s their player and can be recalled, it seems like a no-brainer.
Were Ben House and Tyler Walker fit, Draper would surely be left at the Bescot for the season, as his stock is rising significantly, but they’re not. That surely means an early January recall for Draper. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him wearing Imps colours on January 2nd when they travel to Blackpool.
