The Lincoln City pursuit of £3.9m striker Mikkel Ladefoged appears to have taken another significant twist, with fresh reports in Sweden claiming the striker is refusing to train as he pushes to leave Västerås SK.
Earlier today, we covered Ladefoged’s absence from Västerås’s 1-0 win against Djurgårdens IF, when head coach Alexander Rubin would only confirm that the 23-year-old was unavailable for selection. That came after the Dane had been withdrawn with a reported knee issue during the previous meeting between the two clubs, but the latest development suggests his absence may have been connected to his future rather than simply injury.
According to Fotbollskanalen, Ladefoged is refusing to train because he wants Västerås to sell him. Sporting director Billy Magnusson was asked directly about the situation, but offered little clarification.
“No comments.”
Magnusson gave the same response when asked when Ladefoged had last trained, while Rubin was unable to say whether his leading striker would be available when Västerås travel to face IF Elfsborg on Friday. He also refused to speculate on whether Ladefoged had already made his final appearance for the club.
“I don’t know. Right now he’s a VSK player but not eligible for selection.”
Ladefoged has been one of the standout forwards in the Allsvenskan this season, scoring nine goals and registering three assists in 14 appearances, and he remains contracted to Västerås until the end of the 2028 season.
City’s interest first emerged earlier this month, with reports in Sweden suggesting the Imps were close to an agreement with Västerås worth around 50 million Swedish kronor (£3.9m). At that stage, Magnusson publicly insisted the club had been planning for Ladefoged to remain with them for the whole campaign.
“We have planned for Mikkel to be here the whole season.”
Ladefoged himself was rather less definitive when he was asked about the speculation, admitting that his future was being discussed.
“Of course we talk about it, we always do. Then we’ll see what happens.”
This now feels considerably more advanced than it did when the initial reports appeared. A player being linked with a move is one thing and being left out of a match squad is another, but a report that he is refusing to train because he wants to leave represents a significant escalation.
It still does not mean he is coming to Sincil Bank. There could be other interested clubs, Västerås have considerable contractual protection, and City would still have to reach an agreement that works financially. However, if the latest reports are accurate, one of the biggest potential obstacles to any move, whether Ladefoged himself actually wants to leave, appears to have disappeared.
I said earlier today in my transfer roundup that I thought we were still in with a shout. I’d probably go a little further now. Something is clearly happening around Mikkel Ladefoged, and with City already reported to have made serious moves for him, this feels like one that could develop quickly.
Comments Welcome!