Players Almost Certainly Under Contract

Sam Long, Lewis Montsma, Paudie O’Connor,  Ethan Erhahon, Dylan Duffy, Ben House, Michael-John Kamson-Kamara, Danny Mandroiu, Jovon Makama

All of these players are almost certainly under contract. Anyone signed in the last 18 months and described as penning a long-term deal will surely be staying with the club, which covers most of these players, We know Lewis Montsma penned a new deal after his ACL injury, which means he is likely to be on the books next season, and young Sam Long is with us until the summer of 2025. Jovon only inked a new deal in May 2022, and will be with us next season.

The other players on this list include Kamson-Kamara, who only signed his first deal earlier this season, and Ben House. Ben signed from Eastleigh in January 2022 on a ‘long-term’ deal, which you’d imagine will keep him with the Imps for at least another season.

Players With a Degree of Uncertainty

TJ Eyoma, Ted Bishop, Lasse Sorensen, Charles Vernam, Joe Walsh

There are five players around whom there is some ambiguity. Firstly, I’d suggest Charles Vernam is not out of contract, but Transfermrkt suggests he is, so I may have missed something. When Ted signed the length of the deal was not mentioned, and with it being the summer, long-term could mean two years or three years. My gut feeling is Ted probably isn’t out of contract, and the same goes for Lasse, signed in the same summer. Lasse was described as being on a long-term deal, so there’s also some uncertainty there.

TJ penned a new deal a short while after, joining permanently for his third stint as an Imp, but again, the length was not determined and a long-term deal could mean two or three years. I’d suggest he probably has another year as well.

The one that people seem to be getting confused about is Joe Walsh, but I’d suggest he has another year as yet. In March 2021, he signed a ‘long-term’ extension, which could have been three years. However, it is likely to be two and a half, taking him to a June 2023 expiry.

Players Out Of Contract

Jordan Wright, Adam Jackson, Regan Poole, Sean Roughan, Max Sanders

There’s some degree of knowledge here – we know Regan Poole’s deal is coming to an end, as is Max Sanders’ (signed until June 2023) and Adam Jackson’s. Jordan Wright was brought in on an 18-month deal, which will expire this summer, whilst we optioned a year on Sean Roughan’s initial deal last summer, suggesting he too is out of contract. If we were to offer Sean a new deal and he were to turn it down in favour of a move elsewhere, we’d be due a fee from whichever club he joined. There are reports circulating today that Southampton, who had him on trial two years ago, could be coming back for a look this summer.

Next Season’s Squad

This is how you’d assume next year’s squad to look prior to any deals being made for players. I’ve added those where there’s some ambiguity in red italics.

Keepers

Sam Long,

Defenders

Elicha Ahui, Jay Benn, Hayden Cann, Lewis Montsma, Paudie O’Connor, TJ Eyoma, Sean Roughan, Adam Jackson

Midfielders

Oisin Gallagher, Morgan Worsfold-Gregg, Ethan Erhahon, Ted Bishop, Lasse Sorensen 

Attackers

Freddie Draper, Charlie Kendall, Dylan Duffy, Ben House, Michael-John Kamson-Kamara, Danny Mandroiu, Jovon Makama, Charles Vernam,