Michael Skubala has added a third new face on a busy deadline day, with the loan capture of Trinidad and Tobago striker Justin Obikwa from Coventry City.
The 21-year-old – who has represented Trinidad & Tobago at international level – steps up having impressed with two loan spells in Sky Bet League Two with Grimsby Town. He scored 10 goals across two spells with the Mariners.
Head coach Michael Skubala said: “Justin has a profile that is extremely interesting, which we feel compliments and supplements our forward players. He has pace and power that along with Rob Street, gives us a real ‘threat in-behind’ as a central striker.
“When we then consider Reeco Hackett, Ben House, Jack Moylan, Oscar Thorn, Erik Ring and Francis Okoronkwo, as well as Freddie Draper and James Collins, we feel that we have every type of attacking option to be threat against any type of opposition.”
Director of football Jez George added: “This is an opportunity for us to add firepower and more attacking weapons to the squad’s armoury. We value multi-functional attacking players with pace and power, and Justin ticks those boxes in addition to an excellent goalscoring record in League Two last season.
“We know the challenges of remaining competitive over a 46-game league season, as well as our desire to take all the cup competitions seriously, so that requires depth in the squad. Justin adds to our array of threats in the forward positions.”
Last season, with stronger recruitment around him, Obikwu flourished, showing significant progress in his all-around game. Known for his strength, hold-up play, and improved first touch, he combined well with captain Danny Rose after Grimsby switched to a two-striker system. The partnership yielded goals for both players, with Obikwu netting seven times, with three in three matches.
His form mirrored the team’s climb up the League Two table, though injuries interrupted his momentum, including a spell out after a February car accident.
Grimsby fans were quick to compare his rise with Will Bapaga, another Coventry loanee who showed promise at Blundell Park in 2021 but whose career stalled after leaving. While Bapaga now plays in non-league, Obikwu’s trajectory appears far more promising. Lampard and Coventry will hope he continues upward, potentially earning a long-term EFL future.
There’s also the interesting international angle. In February 2024, he was called up to the Trinidad and Tobago team for the first time for two friendlies against Jamaica. With him, Reeco and Ivan, it is possible we could see games postponed for international call-ups once again.
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