Lincoln City player Zane Okoro has made an immediate impression at Tranmere Rovers, scoring his first goal for the League Two club in a 3-0 pre-season victory against a PFA XI.
The forward only completed his season-long loan move to Prenton Park earlier this week, having first signed a new contract with the Imps until the summer of 2029. He was handed a place in Darrell Clarke’s starting XI and needed just ten minutes to open his account. Joe Ironside held the ball up before laying it into the path of Okoro, who guided a side-footed finish into the top-left corner.
Okoro remained heavily involved throughout his time on the pitch. He was released by Ironside with a well-weighted pass later in the first half, before delivering a low cross towards Charlie Whitaker, whose effort was saved. The 19-year-old almost added a second after the break when Jacob Slater found him with a low delivery, although his effort took a deflection and went over the crossbar.
Ironside had doubled Tranmere’s advantage shortly before half-time, with a trialist completing the scoring in the 77th minute. The PFA side also included two former Imps in Anthony Scully and James Jones.
🤩 ICYMI | Your two new signings earlier today!#TRFC #SWA pic.twitter.com/2WahoOC3Nm
— Tranmere Rovers FC (@TranmereRovers) July 21, 2026
It represents an encouraging beginning to Okoro’s loan spell as he looks to secure regular EFL football during the 2026/27 campaign. The attacker spent last season with Coleraine, where he gained valuable senior experience and helped the Northern Irish club challenge near the top of the table.
His goals and assists slowed following an explosive beginning to that spell, but the season still provided him with the regular men’s football Lincoln wanted. He returned to City this summer and featured during pre-season against Boston United and Leyton Orient before his move to the Wirral was confirmed.
Sporting director Jez George explained that Tranmere’s expectation was for Okoro to challenge for a starting place under an experienced manager.
“Zane has done fantastically well to accelerate his development over the past 12 months so that he is wanted by a really experienced manager, at a really good League Two club, with the expectation of contributing for them as a starting player,” George said.
“That is credit to Zane and everyone at Coleraine, particularly their manager Ruaidhri Higgins. Zane has bags of potential and we have seen, even over the past three weeks of training with the first team, how he has benefitted from 12 months of men’s football.”
Okoro has already made senior appearances for the Imps, but the next objective is to establish himself as a regular at League Two level. Finding the net within ten minutes of his first Tranmere start is certainly an encouraging way to begin.
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