Credit: Chris Vaughan/Lincoln City Football Club
City have completed the signing of winger Mide Shodipo, who returns to the club on a permanent basis after his loan spell last season.
Shodipo is a familiar name for City fans, after spending the second half of the 22/23 season on loan at Sincil Bank. The winger made his debut against MK Dons from the bench in a 0-0 draw and scored his first goal in a battling draw away at Derby County. His best form came in the last few weeks of the season, the former U21 Republic of Ireland international scored at Plymouth Argyle and was a regular member of City’s starting team as the season came to a close.
He returns to the Imps on a short term contract with a chance to earn a longer term deal either with City or another side. It’s a move that suits all parties, especially with our recent injury crisis. Tyler Walker and Ben House will out for a long period of time – especially the former with an expected recovery time of around 5 months – while Jack Vale has also had an injury setback, which will see him out for a period of time, so we’ve been lacking in the attacking department. Hakeeb Adelakun has come back into the fold after not being considered a member of the squad at the end of the transfer window. Reeco Hackett and Adelakun have been leaned on quite heavily in recent weeks, so the signing of Shodipo gives us much needed depth.
As we know Shodipo has plenty of League One experience with a number of loan spells at this level. His first came at Oxford United, where he played a key part in their play-off semi-final campaign in 20/21 contributing with thirteen goals in all competitions. He was highly rated during his time at Oxford and was well appreciated by their fans but they couldn’t secure his signature the following year. His next move was to League One promotion hopefuls but his spell wasn’t as successful as his time at Oxford, with just one goal in over 20 appearances.
Shodipo said: “It feels great to be back, I am delighted to be here again and am raring to go.
“This is a move that works for both parties. I know the players, I know the fans and I know what the club is like so I can settle straight back into things. They made me feel so welcome last time and I can’t wait to play in front of them again”
Jez George, City’s director of football, added: “This is a no-brainer for both parties. Mide knows us, we know him and in our situation, with significant injuries to Ben House and Tyler Walker, he gives us more options at the top end of the pitch and crucially, unlike other options who are free agents, Mide is ready to hit the ground running.
“This arrangement helps us in the short-term and gives Mide the opportunity to earn a longer term contract with us or another club in January.
Jez George’s comments suggest that Shodipo is match fit and ready to feature straight away, which separates him from many free agents on the market at the moment. He is available for selection against Peterborough United tomorrow afternoon, so he has a perfect opportunity to make an impression in front of a large City away following.
Hopefully he can make an impact over the next three months and put himself in a position to earn a contract either here or elsewhere. We’ve made a good move with this one, and here’s hoping it pays off for Mark Kennedy’s Imps.