"An affordable deal " - Blackburn Rovers backed to secure Lincoln City transfer | OneFootball

The Lincoln City captain is out of contract in the summer.

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...

Blackburn Rovers are already looking ahead to the January transfer window, just a month after the summer window shut.

According to Football Insider, Blackburn are in the hunt for Lincoln City captain, Paudie O'Connor, whose contract is set to expire at the end of this season.

Fellow Championship sides, Preston North End and Oxford United, are also said to be interested in the 27-year-old, who joined the Imps from Bradford City in 2022 on a free.

Despite spending a little over two years at the LNER Stadium, he has already made more than 100 appearances for the club, and was named as the club's captain at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

His impressive performances at the back helped Lincoln to the second-best defensive record in League One last season. The team conceded just 40 goals, keeping 19 clean sheets as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

O'Connor could be a very good, cheap signing for Blackburn

With his current deal due to expire at the end of 2024/25, there will be conversations surrounding O'Connor in the coming months, and whether or not the Imps cash-in early, or hold on until his contract runs out.

Blackburn will be waiting in the wings awaiting the club's decision, and may pounce early in attempt to sway the defender's decision.

Football League World's Rovers Fan Pundit, Toby Wilding, believes that the Irishman could be an excellent addition to the team, and could be an ideal replacement for two aging centre-backs at Ewood Park.

"I could see this being a reasonably good deal for Blackburn," he started. "O'Connor's done a pretty decent job for Lincoln in League One over the past couple of seasons, so, he could certainly be a useful option for the Championship.

"Kyle McFadzean and Danny Batth are both out of contract at the end of this season and both are approaching the veteran stages of their career, although Batth has been excellent in the starting lineup for the last three games. But looking ahead, someone like O'Connor at his age might provide a longer-term option, so it could be sensible to bring someone like him in to sort of help move on that set of options in the central defensive role.

Toby continued: "I think, as well, with his contract situation, he'll be in the last six months, which maybe puts a bit more emphasis on Lincoln selling and that might make it an affordable deal for Rovers as well.

"I think if you look at the business done in the summer, it was very much based around cut-price bargain buys, so this could potentially fit into that. So, this isn't a deal that I would be against at all if it was to happen."

O'Connor has been exceptional once again this season

Buying from a lower division is always a risk, but O'Connor has proven this season that he is a cut above in League One.

In his first six appearances of the season, he won 74.4% of his duels, while also winning 74.6% of those in the air. He is a defender that enjoys the challenge of going one-on-one with an attacker, but is also very adept at cutting out passing lanes, and has recorded 14 interceptions already.

He also provides going forward, and has found the back of the net twice, netting a brace against Burton Albion on the opening day of the season.

The 27-year-old is an incredible presence in the air, and if he continues his form in League One, the step-up to the Championship should not be an issue.

Joining Blackburn in January could also give O'Connor the chance at a potential battle for the play-offs in the second tier. Under John Eustace, Rovers have been excellent in the opening weeks of 2024/25, and have perhaps been the surprise package.

Adding to the defence will only help, and with their current league position, they are an incredibly attractive prospect over the likes of Preston and Oxford.