The 20-year-old eventually joined Southampton on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day, but Lincoln were also involved in discussions over his future. Speaking in an interview shared on Facebook, Coyle discussed the conversations that took place during the summer.
“From a Lincoln fan’s perspective, there’s a really good relationship with the club. Obviously, with Brennan and the success they’ve had, it makes sense.
“But also, from Lincoln’s perspective, some of their best players operate in the same position as Zach. As much as they believe Zach is a top talent and they really like him, at that stage, throughout the window, they weren’t in a position where they could take Zach on and give him that opportunity.
“We spoke to the guys at Lincoln throughout the window, and we’ve got a great relationship with them.
“Southampton, although they have top players themselves, also believe Zach is someone who could break into their team. That’s where the conversation came about and eventually progressed into negotiations.
“They said, ‘We believe in Zach Abbott. We believe he can break into our team, and we believe he’s going to have an impact for us at the top level of the Championship.'”
Abbott is a highly-rated young defender who has already gained Premier League and European experience with Nottingham Forest. Having joined the club’s academy at the age of 11, he progressed through the youth ranks and made his senior debut against Grimsby Town in the League Cup in August 2022.
He was part of the Forest side that reached the FA Youth Cup final in 2022, playing the full 90 minutes against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He subsequently earned opportunities with the senior side, including a start against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in April 2025.
Last season, Abbott made three Premier League appearances and also featured five times in the Europa League. His international experience is extensive for a player of his age, having represented England at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19 and Under-20 levels. He also captained the Under-19s at the 2025 European Championship, scoring in a remarkable 5-5 draw against Germany.
The connection between Lincoln and Nottingham Forest is well established, particularly following Brennan Johnson’s successful loan spell at Sincil Bank during the 2020/21 campaign. The Welsh international became a key figure under Michael Appleton, helping City reach the League One play-off final before returning to his parent club.
Johnson went on to establish himself in Forest’s first team, helping them win promotion to the Premier League before eventually securing a move to Tottenham Hotspur. His development remains one of the most successful examples of a young Premier League player benefiting from a loan spell with the Imps.
However, City’s circumstances were different this summer. Preparing for their first Championship campaign in 65 years, the club already had several options in central defence, with Sonny Bradley, Deji Elerewe, Ryley Towler and Tom Hamer all part of the squad. That was before Andrei Coubis joined the club for a club record fee.
With Abbott needing regular senior football to continue his development, the number of defensive options available to Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw made a move to Sincil Bank difficult.
Southampton ultimately secured his signature on September 1st, bringing the England youth international to St Mary’s for the remainder of the campaign. The Saints were themselves preparing for a season in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League.
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