Daniel Oyegoke says the conversation that persuaded him to join Lincoln City was the best he has ever had with people in football.
The defender arrived from Hellas Verona on deadline day, signing a four-year deal after spells in Scotland and Italy. However, the move had been taking shape for a couple of weeks before his arrival was announced, giving him time to look into the club and speak to a familiar face.
“Yeah, a couple of weeks before I ended up signing, so a couple of weeks before the deadline. ” he told Imps+ .
“You hear interest from a club, I then go and look into the club. Obviously, I knew Dom (Jefferies) as well, so it was good to speak to him before joining.”
That gave Oyegoke an early insight into life at City, but it was speaking directly to those bringing him here that made up his mind.
“But when I got on the call with everyone from the club, it was clear for me. It was the best call I’ve ever had. Best conversation I’ve had with football people about football and the direction the club wants to go in and what kind of club it is.
“You can see it’s littered with beautiful people inside and out. So it was a no-brainer for me to want to be a part of the journey.”
It’s quite an endorsement from someone who, at 23, has already experienced several different football environments. Oyegoke started in Barnet’s academy before moving to Arsenal, where he developed from a forward into a right-back. He then chose to leave for Brentford, where he played with Dom, gaining senior experience through loans at MK Dons and Bradford City.
His next move took him to Hearts in the summer of 2024. That brought the challenge of living alone in a new country, alongside the opportunity to play European football and handle the expectations at Tynecastle.
“First move out of the country. I was living by myself up there, but it was good. Six months, we were in the Conference League as well, so I got a good amount of experience, played a good amount of games in that time as well.
“Hearts is a big club up there with big expectations from the fans. So it was really good to learn in that kind of environment.”
He scored his first senior goal for Hearts against St Mirren, but his stay in Edinburgh proved brief. By January 2025, Hellas Verona offered him the chance to test himself in Serie A. For a young defender still learning his trade, it was an opportunity he felt he had to take.
“Then heading to Italy as well was another move that was kind of quick for me. Again, it was a step to go to Serie A, which is a big league and a good opportunity for me to grow again.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world, but I’ve learned a lot. I feel I’ve done well at times, and it’s been a crazy journey.”
Asked about Italy’s reputation as a place to learn the art of defending, Oyegoke explained how quickly that decision had come together.
“Yeah. So it was again a no-brainer for me at that point. Even though I’d only been at Hearts for six months, it was kind of like, ‘All right, cool. It’s the next step.’ And I was on a flight to Italy then.”
Now that experience comes back to England with him. We’ve brought in a defender who has played in the lower divisions, experienced European competition and tested himself in Italy, all before his 24th birthday. His full debut against Preston showcased his talents, and now he’ll be hoping to do the same at Ashton Gate.
There is plenty for him to build on here, and his account of that first conversation suggests he sees City as a place where he can do exactly that.
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