A player linked with Lincoln City looks set to make a Championship move, with Portsmouth now reportedly closing in on Odin Bailey.
The 26-year-old left Stockport County this summer following the expiry of his contract, and was linked early in the summer with the Imps. He had previously been linked with Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and others, but it now appears Portsmouth are set to win the race.
That is according to Sam Byrne, who reports that Bailey is set for a move to the south coast. Byrne had also been the source of the earlier Lincoln link, after Sheffield Star reporter Alex Miller had suggested Sheffield Wednesday had Bailey on a recruitment longlist. With that in mind, I’d suggest perhaps any interest was fleeting, rather than ‘losing out’ on the player.
Bailey’s availability made sense as an early summer link, given his League One experience, age and status as a free agent, but Portsmouth now look to have moved ahead of the chasing pack.
Bailey had spent the last three seasons with Stockport, initially arriving on loan from Salford City in September 2023 before making the move permanent in January 2024. He was part of Dave Challinor’s squad as County won the League Two title in 2023/24, then remained involved as they adjusted to life in League One.
He also featured in the recent League One play-off final, as Stockport’s attempt to secure a second successive promotion ended at Wembley. His departure was later confirmed as part of the club’s retained list, leaving him free to assess options elsewhere.
Bailey began his career with Birmingham City, the club he joined as a child, and made a small number of first-team appearances there. He also had loan spells with Gloucester City, Forest Green Rovers and Livingston, gaining experience across the National League South, League Two and the Scottish Premiership.
His move to Salford City came in 2022, but it was at Stockport where he had his strongest sustained spell of senior football. He was used mainly as an attacking midfielder, although his career has also seen him operate in wider areas.
Portsmouth’s interest offers Bailey a route back into the Championship, where he first appeared with Birmingham. For the Imps, it looks like another name to cross off the summer list, rather than a move that got particularly close.
City have already been linked with a number of players during the early part of the window, and Bailey always felt more like one of several options being assessed than a firm target at the top of the list. If the Portsmouth move is completed, he will instead be heading down south, and possibly lining up against us in the second tier.