Lincoln City look set to miss out on a summer transfer target, as Barney Stewart reportedly ‘passes a medical’ with West Bromwich Albion.
The Imps were linked with a £1m move for Stewart, who scored ten times for Falkirk last season, but Pete O’Rourke is now reporting that he ‘understands’ a four-year deal has been agreed. Usually, when Pete O’Rourke ‘understands’ something, it means it has already happened and an agent has fed that back.
Understand West Brom have sealed a move for Falkirk striker Barney Stewart. Stewart has agreed a four-year deal at the Hawthorns after passing his medical. #WBA #Falkirk pic.twitter.com/YYya6jcilu
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) June 17, 2026
West Brom appear to have also pipped Oxford United to his signature. The U’s had a formal bid for the 22-year-old turned down last month as interest in the striker continued to grow. There hasn’t been a solid report that City had an offer turned down, but the Baggies were linked with a failed £1m bid earlier in the summer.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn has suggested the club would consider a sale only at the right price, insisting there was no immediate pressure to move the player on. He said Falkirk had received “fair offers from two or three clubs” but expected further interest, adding that any significant fee could help the club invest in training facilities, including a grass pitch.
Addressing the transfer interest, Stewart called it ‘insane’, adding, “If it was to happen it would be a massive step and a quick rise if it does happen and one I would have to take in my stride.”
Lincoln City perspective
Stewart is one of the players we’ve been linked with this summer, but it would be naive to think he was our only target. He may not have been our top target; he may have been on a list of three or four. I’ll always remember when we signed Luke Plange from a list of three or four names, all of whom we’d have happily taken. In hindsight, any of the others would have done!
Seriously, while this may be framed as City missing out, and at the basic level it may well be, we miss out on far more players than perhaps supporters realise. Trai Hume is an obvious one that has been noted, but I recall managers telling me we’ve had players like Danny Mayor (a few years back now) close to a deal before it went south.
Targets move elsewhere all the time, so we can only sit and wait to see which ones we do land, rather than dwell on any we don’t.