Former Lincoln City Goalkeeper Set for League One Loan Move

Former Lincoln City goalkeeper Joe Bursik is reportedly set to join AFC Wimbledon on loan from Portsmouth.

The 26-year-old has been part of John Mousinho’s goalkeeping group at Fratton Park, but now appears set to leave temporarily in search of regular football. Journalist Alex Crook reports that Bursik will make the move to AFC Wimbledon on loan.

Bursik joined Portsmouth from Club Brugge in September 2025, signing a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He made ten appearances across all competitions during his first season with Pompey, including nine in the Championship. His campaign was disrupted by a calf injury suffered while taking a goal kick during Portsmouth’s visit to Stoke City in April. Bursik had been making his first start since November 2025, but lasted only four minutes against his former club.

Portsmouth began the summer with Nicolas Schmid, Ben Killip, Toby Steward and Bursik among their goalkeeping options. Steward spent last season on loan at St Johnstone, making 45 appearances as they won the Scottish Championship title, while Pompey had also received interest in the youngster from clubs in League One and League Two.

Bursik’s association with the Imps was brief, but his solitary appearance came in one of the most important City matches of recent years. He arrived from Stoke City on an emergency loan in May 2021 after Alex Palmer suffered a head injury in training ahead of the League One play-offs. Ironically, he’d been in goal for Peterborough as we drew 3-3, and we finally missed out on the automatic places.

He was immediately placed in the starting side for the first leg of our semi-final against Sunderland at Sincil Bank. Goals from Tom Hopper and Brennan Johnson secured a 2-0 victory, while Bursik produced an excellent performance to keep a clean sheet.

Palmer was cleared to return for the second leg at the Stadium of Light, bringing Bursik’s seven-day emergency spell to an end after just one appearance. City survived a difficult evening on Wearside to progress 3-2 on aggregate before losing to Blackpool in the play-off final at Wembley.

Bursik subsequently returned to Stoke and later moved to Club Brugge in January 2023. He did not make a first-team appearance for the Belgian club, although he represented Club NXT before spending the 2024/25 season on loan with Hibernian. His move to Portsmouth brought him back to the Championship, but the reported switch to AFC Wimbledon should provide another opportunity to play regularly.