Reading are the latest club to be linked with Imps captain Paudie O’Connor, as the 27-year-old weighs up his next move following the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2024/25 season.
The Royals’ interest, first reported by James Earnshaw of the Reading Chronicle, comes as manager Noel Hunt prepares for his first full campaign at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. However, it would be a side step in terms of level, with Derby a Championship club also said to be interested.
Either way, as he is a free agent, it makes little or no difference to us at all. There will be no compensation, just a player departing in the same manner as Regan Poole did a couple of years ago.
The former Leeds man has already been the subject of strong links to Huddersfield Town and Barnsley, as reported by Football League World last month. Both clubs are targeting immediate returns to the Championship and see O’Connor as a readymade defensive leader. Reading are also likely to be looking up the table following their takeover, giving O’Connor the perfect chance to battle in the right part of the table.
Jez George told us during our live show that we were keen to retain O’Connor, who played 39 league matches last season. However, like Sean Roughan, the lure of a bigger club and a bigger wage was always going to be attractive, especially for a player at the peak of his powers.
There’s no question Paudie will be a big miss at Sincil Bank, but it’s a departure I think we’ve all accepted. His leadership, consistency, and threat from set-pieces made him one of the most complete centre-backs in League One. If Reading secures his signature, it’ll be a clear sign that they mean business this summer.
From our point of view, losing both O’Connor and Roughan in quick succession does look like a blow on paper, but neither was unexpected. it’s not as if news of another club coming in for him is going to cause ripples, and we only hope he goes to the Championship so we don’t have to face him next season.
You must be logged in to post a comment.