Lincoln City should be eyeing repeat of Millwall FC transfer for 2025/26 | OneFootball

Lincoln City have work to do over the summer transfer window if they want to have another positive season in Sky Bet League One.

Lincoln City have work to do over the summer transfer window if they want to have another positive season in Sky Bet League One.

The 11th-placed finish that Michael Skubala’s men managed may have been lower than their play-off-chasing exploits of the year prior, but it was still a showing of strength for the Imps.

Lincoln are not blessed with the budgets of those at the top end of the third tier, with the league becoming stronger and richer as the seasons pass by.

They have to be shrewd in their transfer business, but they have a blueprint to follow for success in the upcoming window.

Alex Mitchell’s starring role at Lincoln City

In the Imps play-off chasing season, they enjoyed the services of defender Alex Mitchell on loan from Championship outfit Millwall.

While Lincoln fell at the final hurdle in their last surge for a play-off spot, it was a mightily impressive second-half of the season. And, one of the key players from the term was Mitchell.

He played 36 of City’s league fixtures, notching a singular goal along the way too.

Mitchell barely missed a minute in the latter stages of the campaign and proved his worth as a strong, physical central defender.

The Englishman, now 23, was rewarded by a permanent move to Charlton Athletic last summer. And, even though he has seen his minutes reduced, Mitchell has still shown his abilities at League One level.

While some Imps fans may be pining for a return of Mitchell, who has not been first-choice for Nathan Jones and the promotion-pushing Addicks, his original transfer offers a strong blueprint for the Imps to follow once again.

Mitchell was a young, inexperienced defender when he joined Lincoln.

It was his first chance at League One level, after spells in the Scottish Premiership with St. Johnstone and in the fourth tier of English football with Leyton Orient. And, he impressed greatly, developing throughout the campaign.

The much-talked-about Lincoln transfer model focuses on bringing in young players, elevating their stock and selling them on for profit. Of course, for loan acquisitions that is different, with the focus being as much about a short-term boost as it is long-term gains for the player and their parent club.

Mitchell’s success in Imps colours shows the loan market is a strong avenue for City to pursue again this summer.

With the futures of versatile Sean Roughan and club captain Paudie O’Connor up in the air, Lincoln may need to bolster their defensive line massively.

Adam Jackson’s home remains a doubt for next season, and the fitness of Dutch centre-back Lewis Montsma stays a consistent worry, so a new central defender would not go amiss for the Imps even if their star duo sign new contracts.

On the positive end, Tom Hamer has shown his qualities defensively when given the chance, and a strong partner in the mould of Mitchell would benefit Lincoln greatly and potentially form a commanding pairing.

The loan market is often a case of risk and reward, but the Imps should try to recapture some of the magic that saw Mitchell become such a success at the LNER Stadium and dip their toe back into the water this summer.