Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you will have heard all about Lincoln City’s historic rise to the League One title and Championship football next season.
With the trophy already taking pride of place in the cabinet, all that lies between the Imps and an intriguing summer of recruitment is Port Vale away, a no doubt quiet sightseeing excursion to Vegas and an open-top bus parade around the city.
Michael Skubala’s recruitment to date has been nothing short of exemplary, with the side the Skoobs built breaking the 100-point barrier in a dominant campaign.
The Championship, certainly from the outside looking in, appears to be a whole different ball game when it comes to signing players and their contracts. Below are some second-tier players who are approaching the end of their current deals, whom Lincoln City could consider.
Max O’Leary – West Bromwich Albion
We make a start, perhaps surprisingly, with a goalkeeper. With George Wickens in the hunt for the Golden Glove with 18 clean sheets at the time of writing, I am in no way suggesting he is replaced.
However, with his impressive form, the 24-year-old former Fulham man is sure to be attracting interest from those who consider themselves above the Imps in football’s pecking order.
The 29-year-old joined Albion from Bristol City in January in an attempt to shore up the Baggies in their quest for survival. The Republic of Ireland international has done more than that, keeping a hugely impressive eight clean sheets in his 15 outings so far.
O’Leary, according to Capology, earns £10,000 per week, so he certainly would not be a backup option for Lincoln City. However, should Wickens be the subject of interest from other clubs, Max O’Leary has plentiful Championship experience for the Imps to call upon.
Zak Swanson – Portsmouth
Swanson has been with Pompey since 2022, joining from Arsenal and has made over 100 appearances for the Fratton Park side. The full-back is currently nursing a knee injury, having made 33 appearances in the second tier so far this season, and there has been talk of Portsmouth extending his deal.
Should he decide to leave his current employers, he could prove to be an astute acquisition for City as cover for Tendayi Darikwa, who shows no signs of slowing down.
Swanson could be a more realistic signing for the Imps too, as he earns around £3,500 per week, according to theinformation available on Capology.
Dael Fry – Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough captain Fry has already been linked with the newly promoted Imps, as his contract comes to an end with his boyhood club.
Fry has had a stellar international career with the England under-age sides, winning the Under-17 European Championships and the Under-20 World Cup, and has nearly 300 Boro outings to his name.
The 28-year-old has missed large chunks of the campaign but has still turned out 29 times and scored three times for his side, and he will now prepare for the lottery of the playoffs.
City are not the only ones rumoured to be showing an interest in the defender, with soon-to-be Championship rivals Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United said to be keen on Fry’s signature.
With Fry’s name already in the rumour mill, the idea of him signing for the Imps has potential. We don’t know why Fry and Middlesbrough are yet to reach an agreement, and should the club be successful in their quest to reach the Premier League, you would have to imagine the Middlesbrough-born man would be desperate to stay.
Should he leave, Chris Wilder’s rebuild at Bramall Lane could appeal, but if Michael Skubala manages to get his man, it will add excellent Championship experience to the group. With wages at just over £5,500 a week, Fry could well fit into the wage budget at the LNER Stadium next season.
Jamie Allen – Coventry City
Midfielder Allen has been at Coventry City since 2019, when he signed from Burton Albion, with the Sky Blues still languishing in League One. Since then, the 31-year-old has featured 200 times for Frank Lampard’s side, and his contract is up this summer.
Allen has completed 90 minutes on just three occasions this season and has seen his minutes seriously diminished compared to previous seasons. With his deal coming to an end, it’s hard to see the former Rochdale man extending his stay.
Despite his limited minutes, the midfielder has completed nearly 90% of his passes and is accurate in his long passing with a near 86% success rate.
In previous seasons, the Rochdale-born man has been a regular with the Sky Blues, with his best season coming in 2022/23 when he played 37 times and scored six goals. He is a vastly experienced midfielder with close to 200 Championship outings and over 350 games during his career, qualities that would add to the attributes of the midfielders already in the building.
According to Capology, Allen earns around £7,500 per week, which would instantly place him as the highest-earning player in the current Imps’ squad.
Jamal Lowe -Sheffield Wednesday
Lowe is something of a wild card to finish with, not least due to his reported £18,000 a week wages at Hillsborough.
Jamaica international Lowe has featured in all but one of Wednesday’s Championship fixtures this season, in what has been a torrid campaign that has ended on a positive note both on and off the field.
The 31-year-old striker would add experience to a front line that, except for James Collins, lacks Championship know-how, and his attributes suggest he would fit into the current group.
Lowe has contributed four goals and three assists for the Owls this season, but has contributed defensively with over 100 recoveries, 37 tackles and 17 interceptions. This type of industry would lend itself to the Lincoln City forward line and give the likes of Rob Street and Freddie Draper another player to learn from.
Is it likely that Jamal Lowe will be at the LNER Stadium next season? Truthfully, no, but the Imps need further additions to their frontline as they embark on a historic Championship season.
Just a quick look through the names of those looking likely to leave their club this summer highlights the financial challenge facing the Imps next season.
Right-backs, with Millwall’s Danny McNamara an example, earn £10,000 a week or more, which is more than double the amount City is paying, according to the rumours. Then there’s the likes of Stoke City centre back Ben Wilmot, who would add real Championship quality, leaving his club having earned £20,000 a week! Truly astronomical figures for the LNER Stadium.