Lincoln City are reportedly in advanced talks with Charlton Athletic over a move for striker Tanto Olaofe.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke has reported the talks, with the Imps seemingly looking to add another forward to Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s squad before the summer transfer window closes. With O’Rourke, it’s usually agent-driven, so either trying to force a move for a player, or it’s 95% done. In this instance, I’d err towards the latter.
Olaofe is currently contracted to Championship rivals Charlton, having joined the Addicks from Stockport County for an undisclosed fee in July 2025. He signed a three-year contract at The Valley, but returned to Stockport on loan during the second half of last season after struggling to establish himself in south London.
The 26-year-old made 25 appearances in all competitions during his first campaign with Charlton, scoring once. He subsequently played 22 times following his temporary return to Edgeley Park, although he again found the net only once.
Those numbers represent a considerable drop from the form Olaofe showed during his first permanent spell with Stockport. He scored 37 goals across 121 appearances for the club, including 20 league goals as Dave Challinor’s side won the League Two title in 2023/24. He followed that with nine goals in 42 League One appearances during the following campaign, helping County reach the play-offs before earning his move to the Championship.
Olaofe began his career with Millwall and progressed through their academy before spending three separate loan spells with Sutton United. He scored 26 times in 80 appearances for the U’s and played an important role in their promotion to the Football League, finishing as their leading scorer during the 2020/21 National League title-winning season.
There was also a brief loan spell with Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone before he made three senior appearances for Millwall. He left The Den permanently for Stockport in January 2023.
Olaofe is primarily a central striker, although his pace and willingness to run the channels allow him to operate across the attacking line. He is an energetic and physical forward whose work without the ball could suit the demands Cohen and Shaw place on their attacking players.
His recent scoring record has been modest, but his previous success with Stockport demonstrated his ability to produce regularly when playing in a settled side. He would also arrive with experience across the Championship, League One and League Two. I did like his use of dark arts when we played Stockport earlier in the year, saying, ‘I did notice their sub Olaofe with a cheeky little move at one point: Hamer had a long throw, and as he launched it, Olaofe made to walk across him, from my angle, pretending to block. Nobody said anything, so maybe it was just me, but it’s probably clever from their lad. After all, the dark arts are something to be admired, if you do them right.’
City have already strengthened their attacking options with the loan signing of Mason Melia from Tottenham Hotspur. However, the reported move for Olaofe suggests the Imps are still searching for greater depth and variety before the window closes, and if he does sign, I’d wager he won’t be the last.
No agreement has yet been announced, but the suggestion that negotiations are advanced means Olaofe could become the latest addition to City’s squad as preparations continue for the Championship campaign.
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