Keep, sell and loan: 3 Lincoln City players who could be involved in January transfer activity | OneFootball

After many years of continuity under Michael Appleton, Lincoln City started a new era this summer with the appointment of Mark Kennedy as their new boss.

Appleton parted company by mutual consent after almost three full seasons in charge of the Imps, and in his place is a former Republic of Ireland international having his first taste of senior management after coming up through the youth coaching ranks at Ipswich, Man City and Wolves.

So far for Kennedy, he is doing a solid job in charge at Sincil Bank as City currently sit 12th in the League One table, just five points off the play-off spots and have been in some entertaining matches along the way, like a 6-3 victory away at Bristol Rovers earlier in the campaign.

The January transfer window is nearing though, so let’s take a look at some of the things that the club should do when the market re-opens at the start of 2023.

Quiz: Have any of these 25 ex-Lincoln City players ever played for a London based team?

1 of 25

1. Scott Kerr

Yes No

KEEP: Jack Diamond

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Most loan deals will have recall clauses in them for January nowadays, just in-case an individual isn’t getting playing time or if they are performing above expectations and can do a job for their contracted club, and that dilemma could be had with Diamond.

Sunderland let the winger join the Imps in August after previous stints with Harrogate Town in League Two, and he is flourishing under Kennedy with five goals from 13 league outings – including a hat-trick against Bristol Rovers.

It’s not clear as to what Diamond’s future with Sunderland looks like in the long-term, but if Lincoln could potentially push the boat out in January with a permanent offer then it would be ideal – if not that though then making sure they do keep him until May is vital.

SELL: Regan Poole

This could go down as controversial, but this could be Lincoln’s last chance to cash in on Poole and as a club who reinvests money on young talent, it could be time to let him fly in the Championship.

Poole’s length of contract since arriving in January 2021 hasn’t been made public, but reports suggests that it expires in the summer of 2023.

Football League World exclusively revealed last week that a number of second tier clubs, including QPR, Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City are watching Poole closely ahead of the transfer window re-opening, and with 19 appearances to his name at both right wing-back and centre-back, the 24-year-old could fetch a decent six-figure fee in January which Kennedy could use to strengthen.

LOAN: Freddie Draper

18-year-old striker Draper featured eight times in League One last season – three of those being starts – but has found game-time harder to come by under Kennedy’s watch.

All of the teenager’s appearances have come in cup competitions, where he netted his first senior goal in the EFL Trophy against Newcastle’s under-21’s, but he is not going to get much game-time in the third tier this season.

Having already spent time on loan at Gainsborough Trinity in the seventh tier of English football earlier in the year, Draper could probably do with a temporary switch to either the National League or a level further down in the National League North.