Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala should return to Leeds United to sign player in January: View | OneFootball

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After dispensing of the services of previous boss Mark Kennedy in October, Lincoln City decided to follow a similar path with the appointment of Michael Skubala over a week ago.

Kennedy had been in youth coaching for much of his off-field career and had been assistant to Lee Bowyer as well at Birmingham City, and in Skubala they have hired someone of a similar background - not in terms of their playing days as the new Imps boss didn't have one, but had worked at Coventry, Nottingham Forest and for England's under-18's before moving to Leeds United in 2022.

And after just over one year at Elland Road as the club's under-21's boss, in a stint which included being caretaker manager for three matches of the first-team, Skubala has now moved to Sincil Bank, where he will get to cut his teeth as the boss of a senior club.

That will mean the 41-year-old, who has opened up his Lincoln stint with a loss to Stevenage and a win over Leyton Orient, has his first transfer window to navigate in January, although director of football Jez George will be doing the bulk of the work on that front.

But it would be a shock if Skubala didn't look to his former club in West Yorkshire for potential additions, and one name who should be on his radar is that of Sean McGurk.

Who is Sean McGurk?

After excelling for Wigan Athletic at youth level, McGurk was snapped up by Leeds in the summer of 2021, with his contract having expired at the DW Stadium without making his senior debut for the Latics.

In his first season at Elland Road, McGurk played under-21's football and continued to do so under Skubala in the 2022-23 campaign, mainly playing on the left flank and cutting onto his right foot, although he would also play in the number 10 role at times.

The 20-year-old Liverpool-born winger has had a good start to the 2023-24 season at the same level, scoring four times and notching two assists in eight appearances, which is perhaps a sign that McGurk is ready for his first loan stint away from United.

With a contract expiring this summer at Leeds though, McGurk could potentially be available for the right fee in January, but failing that it would be a loan departure for the youngster.

From Skubala's first two City matches in charge, it looks as though he will stick to the 3-4-3 formation that Kennedy had been using previously too.

That would mean McGurk's best position would come on the left-hand side of a front three, where Dylan Duffy and Danny Mandroiu have both started in Skubala's first two matches in charge.

Skubala was more used to playing a 4-2-3-1 formation with Leeds though, so it remains to be seen when he gets some of his new players in if he will make a change to the system, and doing just that could see McGurk slot in as an attacking midfielder through the middle.

Lincoln do have plenty of wide options such as Duffy, Mandroiu, Hakeeb Adelakun and Olamide Shodipo, but McGurk and Skubala will know each other very well and the young attacker has showed good progress under the 41-year-old, so it makes complete sense if there is a deal to be done.