Football League World
·6 November 2024
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·6 November 2024
We asked our Lincoln City fan pundit who the club's two most valuable assets are
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Lincoln City have made a very promising start to the 2024/25 League One campaign, and two players in particular have impressed for Michael Skubala's side.
Ethan Erhahon, who joined Lincoln from St Mirren back in 2023, has continued to impress, while 20-year-old striker Jovon Makama has shown what he's capable of on a more consistent basis.
The Imps currently sit fifth in the League One table and progressed to the FA Cup second round at a canter recently, beating non-league side Chesham United 4-0 away from home, with Makama on the scoresheet again.
Given Lincoln's impressive start to the season, we asked our Imps fan pundit which player at the club has the highest potential price-tag, and how much the club could expect to receive should they sell them.
Our Lincoln City fan pundit, Gary Hutchinson, believes that the two players that Lincoln could receive the most money for are midfielder Erhahon and striker Makama, with Erhahon's price-tag based on his performances, and Makama's price-tag based on potential.
Speaking to Football League World, Gary said: "The price-tag I’d put on our two best players, it’s really difficult because you can put the price-tag on potential or actual ability. I’ll put a price-tag on ability for one player, and price-tag on potential for a second player.
“I think the player with the ability price-tag wise is £1.4million for Ethan Erhahon. He’s a holding midfielder, he’s young, he does the smart things really well, he’s athletic, and he looks really good at League One level.
“I think he’s got the ability to step up to the Championship, and if you’re buying a borderline international, because he’s got to be close to becoming a Scottish international, having the potential to do so, I think you’ve got to be paying a seven-figure sum.
“I believe that there’s a set figure the club have in mind which the club would accept and, in my eyes, that would be around the £1.4million mark.
“The second most expensive player would be Jovon Makama, and that would be based on potential. Jovon is still a young lad, I think he’s 20 years old. He scored against Cheshum in the FA Cup, but he’s got a bit of everything.
“He holds the ball up, he’s quite strong, he’s quite quick, people are going to want to take a punt on him. For a striker, a bigger club can afford to take that punt if you’re a striker, because that’s the market we’ve got to be looking at selling into. A player like Jovon has to be worth £1million of speculation.
“I know some Championship clubs have eyed him over the summer, but whether that’s with serious intent or admiration, but that could turn into scouting and the better he does this season, the higher the price-tag goes.
“I think if anybody wanted to buy Jovon Makama off us the price-tag would have to be £750,000 upwards."
Lincoln are currently sitting pretty in the League One table in fifth place, and if they're in the mix for promotion come January, he'll hope that he can convince Erhahon and Makama to stay and help them reach the Championship.
Of course, if a big offer came in for Erhahon it would be hard to turn it down, but the club's hierarchy may see it as more beneficial to keep him at the club and try to help them win promotion, as playing in the Championship would have better financial rewards in the long-term.
Losing two key players in January would be a big blow to Skubala's promotion hopes, and while money will always talk, it would be a real statement of intent if Lincoln's hierarchy decided they weren't for sale in January as they are targeting promotion to the Championship.
While Makama is still developing, Erhahon is a ready-made Championship player and should be playing in the second tier one way or another next season. Lincoln and Skubala will desperately hope it's with them.