Lincoln City are set to lose club captain Paudie O’Connor to League One rivals Wycombe Wanderers, according to Football Insider.
The 27-year-old joined the Imps from Bradford City in 2022 and has since gone on to make 141 appearances for the club. He has been a mainstay of Lincoln’s defence and was handed the armband following the departure of Regan Poole in 2023.
The former Bradford City player will see his contract at the LNER Stadium expire at the end of this month, prompting speculation that he is set to move on to pastures new. The club announced in their end-of-season retained list that they were in discussions over a new deal.
Wycombe Head Queue For O’Connor
O’Connor’s availability has alerted a number of clubs. He has consistently been linked with a move away this summer, but this latest update claims that Wycombe have emerged as the front runners.
The Chairboys enjoyed a stellar campaign which saw them challenge Birmingham City and Wrexham for an automatic promotion spot. However, they fell away towards the end of their season, losing their last three to finish fifth. Mike Dodds’ team then fell to Charlton Athletic in the play-off semi final.
It appears as if the ex-Sunderland coach has now set his sights on strengthening his defensive options and looks to be leading the race for the Lincoln star.
Wycombe Wanderers are leading the race ahead of a host of League One clubs for Lincoln City defender Paudie O’Connor on a free transfer. Several Championship clubs are also monitoring his situation. #Imps #Wycombe #Chairboys pic.twitter.com/xAsbUY59bN
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) June 8, 2025
The report claims that a host of Championship and League One clubs are in the battle for his signature but Wycombe are the favourites to win the race.
Writer’s View
O’Connor has been excellent for Lincoln during his three years at the club. Despite that, it is widely expected that he will depart the East Midlands-based club this summer, with supporters accepting that it is unlikely he will commit to a new deal. However, the feeling at Sincil Bank was that the defender would move up the ladder and into the Championship, and losing him to another team in League One would be a bitter blow. The Imps will feel that Wycombe will be a direct rival next season as they quietly target a play-off place, but it appears as if they will need to fill a gap across their back line.
