Lincoln City have completed the signing of Manchester United forward Ethan Wheatley on a season-long loan.
The 20-year-old becomes the latest addition to the Imps’ attacking options after spending the past 18 months gaining senior experience with Walsall, Northampton Town and Bradford City.
His move to the ProAmpac Stadium had been delayed for several weeks by circumstances outside City’s control, but the deal has now been completed ahead of the closure of the summer transfer window. Those circumstances are likely to be Everton’s interest in signing him on a permanent deal.
With everything now put to one side, Wheatley believes Lincoln will provide the ideal environment for the next stage of his career, with the forward preparing to test himself in the Championship for the first time.
“I’ve been waiting for this to get over the line for quite a while and I’m just really excited to get here, meet all the lads and get going,” he told the club’s official site.
“I played against Lincoln last season and didn’t really enjoy it, so I’m glad to be part of the team now.
“I’ve had some loans over the past 18 months. I started in League Two, then last season League One, so am looking forward to stepping up to the Championship.
“Lincoln City is a great place for me to showcase what I’m about, but more importantly help the club in what they aspire to do this season.”
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Wheatley Adds Pace And Versatility
Although primarily a centre-forward, Wheatley can operate across the attacking line and will give joint head coaches Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw another option in the final third.
He arrives with four senior Manchester United appearances to his name. Three of those came in the Premier League, with his other outing arriving in the Carabao Cup. Wheatley became the 250th academy graduate to represent Manchester United’s first team when he made his debut against Sheffield United in April 2024. He has also represented England at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-20 level.
His first temporary move away from Old Trafford came with Walsall during the second half of the 2024/25 campaign. He subsequently stepped up to League One with Northampton, where he scored three times before being recalled by Manchester United in January. He completed the season with Bradford City, making 11 league appearances as he continued his introduction to senior football.
Sporting director Jez George revealed that the Imps had monitored the striker since the beginning of that first loan spell and believes his previous EFL experience has prepared him for the demands of the Championship.
“This has been a signing that, for reasons out of our hands, has been delayed by a few weeks, so we are delighted to finally get it done.
“Ethan can play anywhere across the top line and has a skill set that will add elite athleticism and pace, as well as technical ability, to our attacking options.
“We have tracked Ethan since his first loan at Walsall and, after speaking with staff at Manchester United and meeting Ethan ourselves, we know he has benefited from his previous loans and is ready for this challenge.
“He has the attributes, versatility, maturity and work ethic to make a real impact for us at the top end of our team.”
Wheatley now joins a City attacking group which already includes Freddie Draper, Ben House, Mason Melia and Tanto Olaofe. His ability to play centrally or in a wider role gives Cohen and Shaw additional flexibility as they continue shaping their squad for the club’s first Championship season in more than 60 years.
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