Lincoln City stance on Nottingham Forest loanee revealed as Imps plot summer transfer agreement | OneFootball

The Imps want to make the talented teenager a part of their squad once again next season.

Lincoln City want to take Nottingham Forest starlet Joe Gardner back on loan next season.

That's according to journalist Alan Nixon reporting via Patreon on Sunday.

The 19-year-old striker made the switch to the LNER Stadium during the winter transfer window, and has been impressing when handed the opportunity to show what he can do by Lincoln boss Michael Skubala.

Lincoln looking into Joe Gardner, Nottingham Forest summer deal

As revealed by Nixon, Lincoln City are keen on bringing Gardner back to the club in the summer transfer window.

The Republic of Ireland youth international made his Nottingham Forest debut during an FA Cup tie with Bristol City back in February last year, and was named on the bench for a couple of the club's Premier League fixtures last season, without making an appearance.

Having been with Forest since the age of 10, Gardner put pen to paper on a contract extension with the club on 31 January this year, before immediately heading out on his first professional loan move of his career, signing with the Imps for the remainder of the campaign.

Nixon also states that whilst Gardner has predominantly been on the Lincoln bench this season, the club would like to expand his role in Skubala's squad moving forward.

Lincoln City supporters would surely love to see Joe Gardner back for 2025/26 season

His opportunities may have been fairly limited so far, but the impact, potential and ability Gardner has showcased in a Lincoln shirt this term will surely have been enough to convince many Imps supporters that securing his signature once again this summer would be a good move by the club.

"We see him as that player with a little bit more of a Jack Moylan-profile that can do special things and open the game up," Skubala said of Gardner upon his arrival in January.

"He is a real exciting prospect. We would definitely have looked to do this in the summer, but it has probably been sped along into January with the view to even keep him if he does well."

Evidently then, the Lincoln boss has always had an eye on a potential long-term future for the talented young forward at the LNER Stadium, and with the play-offs now all but out of reach, but with safety effectively secured, planning appears to be well underway for next season.

Given their position in the league, and with seemingly little to play for other than pride and finishing as high as possible in their remaining five games, we may well see Gardner handed even more opportunities to show why he deserves to be brought back in the summer.