Lincoln City went as close as possible this season without finishing in a play-off spot.
Defeated on the final day by the champions Portsmouth, Michael Skubala’s Imps fell at the final hurdle. A remarkable surge up the table saw them become unlikely promotion candidates, and looking ahead to the next season, hopes will be high for a top-six campaign.
The precedent is there; in 2023, Derby finished seventh and were promoted automatically the following season, whilst in 2022, Plymouth finished seventh and went up the following season. The Imps will be hoping to make it three in a row.
They’ll need to add to the squad if they are to go up. Loanees Joe Taylor, Conor McGrandles, and Alex Mitchell have gone back to their parent clubs, while the futures of Ted Bishop and Danny Mandroiu are questionable. Like many teams, they’ll be eyeing transfer moves, and as it’s only May, there’s no pressure right now.
However, three players the Imps have been linked with over the last 12 months look unlikely to move to Sincil Bank. Here are three Lincoln City-linked players unlikely to end up at the LNER Stadium next season.
Tommy Leigh
Accrington midfielder Tommy Leigh looks likely to leave Stanley this summer. He’s had a one-year option in his contract triggered, but is the subject of an accepted bid from a League One club. The Imps were linked with a move last year, even having a bid turned down, but it now looks unlikely they’ll be back in for Leigh.
Why? Because it’s being suggested he is on the verge of a £100,000 move to Burton Albion. He would fit the bill for the Imps, an attacking midfielder with goals and assists in his locker, but it seems they may have moved on or are unlikely to match the asking price.
Josh Edwards
Back in April, Dunfermline left-back Josh Edwards was linked with a move to either Lincoln or Oxford, and it felt like they were in a battle for the last play-off spot and for the player. However, Oxford won the bigger battle, but Edwards now looks likely to sign for Charlton Athletic, meaning both clubs will miss out.
The latest news suggests Charlton have had a bid accepted, and not the ‘six-figure’ bid initially reported. It seems personal terms are being agreed, but it looks like the Imps are going to miss out on this target.
Shane McLoughlin
Back in January, the Imps were linked with a move for Newport County man Shane McLoughlin, along with Rotherham, Wrexham and Wycombe. Whilst it felt like a scattergun approach, McLoughlin did feel like the sort of player Lincoln could target.
They’re now highly unlikely to sign McLoughlin, but not because rivals are stealing a march on them. The Bronx-born defender was retained by Newport over the summer but suffered a season-ending injury in March, meaning he’s unlikely to complete any move this summer.
Who Might Sign?
There’s still plenty of potential within the Imps reported targets. Jordan Gabriel at Blackpool is one they’ve reportedly been eyeing, although separating a player from a rival might be a challenge. They’ve also eyed striker Lee Bonis for a while now, and he’s known to be keen on a move to England this summer.
Dylan Sloan, once tracked by Everton, is another City that have coveted in the past, having missed out on Senan Mullan (Torino) and Trai Hulme (Sunderland) when fishing in Irish waters. However, there’s also reports of an unnamed Scandinavian target who could well surprise supporters.
