Andrei Coubis could make his first competitive appearance for Lincoln City this weekend after Chris Cohen confirmed the defender will be involved against Derby County.
The Romanian international became the Imps’ club-record signing when he completed a permanent move from Universitatea Cluj last month. City committed more than £1 million up front to secure the 22-year-old, with potential payments reportedly taking the overall value of the deal to £2.6 million.
Coubis made his first appearance in a City shirt during Saturday’s behind-closed-doors victory against Doncaster Rovers. He played around 80 minutes as the Imps secured a 1-0 win, with the outing providing an important opportunity to build his fitness ahead of the Championship opener at Pride Park.
Speaking before the game, Cohen told Imps+ that Coubis had benefited from his first extended run-out since completing the move.
“He had a good blast at Donny on Saturday, which was really good for him. Even though it was a pre-season game with a pre-season feel, he is definitely going to take a little bit of time to settle, like all new players.
“It’s a really different league, coming from Romania to the Championship, but we see standout moments every day. We were super excited to sign him when we were watching him in the videos, and everything we’ve seen so far on the grass suggests he’s going to be a real fan favourite.”
Coubis developed in the AC Milan academy and went on to captain their Primavera and Milan Futuro sides. He made 34 league appearances in Serie C during the 2024/25 campaign before joining Sampdoria and spending the second half of last season with Universitatea Cluj.
The 6ft 2in centre-back impressed in Romania and earned senior international recognition during 2026. His physical strength, ability in the air and comfort in possession persuaded City to make their biggest-ever financial commitment to a player.
Cohen has nevertheless stressed that the Imps must manage his introduction carefully. Coubis is adapting to a new country, team and division, with the pace and physicality of the Championship presenting another significant step in his development.
“We’ve just got to make sure we do it at the right time, like we’ve done with other signings over the last couple of years. You’ve got to make sure you pick the right time to put him in the fire, but he’ll definitely be involved this weekend.”
That leaves open the possibility of Coubis making his full City debut at Pride Park. Whether he starts or is introduced from the bench, supporters should get their first competitive glimpse of the Imps’ record signing this weekend.
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