Exclusive: Blackpool and Lincoln City plot move for 12-goal striker - but there's one obstacle | OneFootball

Blackpool and Lincoln City are in the race for teenage hotshot Eoin Kenny, Football League World has learned

Blackpool and Lincoln City are among a clutch of clubs eyeing a free transfer swoop for Eoin Kenny - but the two outfits are facing the obstacle of rival European interest in the highly-rated frontman, sources have exclusively revealed to Football League World on Monday morning.

The League One pair find themselves in rather contrasting positions in the 2025/26 campaign as we edge close to the upcoming January transfer window, which both sides will be bidding to utilise as a boost to their respective ambitions for the remainder of the season.

Lincoln are building on last term's mid-table finish and have launched an assault on the top-six positions, with Michael Skubala's side currently situated in fourth-place - just four points shy of league leaders Cardiff City - ahead of tomorrow evening's home encounter against Barnsley.

Blackpool, meanwhile, may have expected to be accompanying the Imps in this season's promotion race but will now have more modest targets after enduring a hellish introduction to the campaign under Steve Bruce, who has since been sacked and replaced by former Tangerines midfield man Ian Evatt.

Evatt, who last managed in League One with Bolton Wanderers, is perhaps yet to make the desired impact in the Bloomfield Road dugout, and Blackpool remain positioned inside the relegation zone with only a two-point advantage over bottom-placed Port Vale.

Nonetheless, the two sides are set to go toe-to-toe for transfer targets in spite of their differing league positions.

Blackpool and Lincoln City in Eoin Kenny transfer battle

Football League World can exclusively reveal that Blackpool and Lincoln are just two of the clubs eyeing a free transfer swoop for the aforementioned Kenny, who has emerged as something of a hot property amid interest throughout the EFL and beyond.

Son of former Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, the 19-year-old recently departed Dundalk at the expiration of his contract, having helped the side immediately return to Ireland's top-flight with an eye-catching haul of 12 goals and nine assists.

As such, Kenny finds himself with no shortage of suitors as he weighs up his options after leaving Dundalk, and FLW understands that clubs throughout the EFL alongside outfits in both Scotland and Belgium are all monitoring the versatile forward, who is most at home as a striker but can also play out wide.

This means, of course, that Blackpool and Lincoln are both facing significant competition in the race for Kenny's signature, which is set to be much-sought-after in the coming weeks.

Eoin Kenny has previously earned EFL interest as Blackpool, Lincoln City eye transfer raid

Around this time last year, following Dundalk's relegation to the second-tier, Alan Nixon of The Sun reported that Blackburn Rovers were looking into a potential move for Kenny.

Indeed, Nixon's report described that a switch to the Championship would "appeal" to the Northern Ireland youth international, and while any such move to Ewood Park failed to materialise, this may prompt caution at both Blackpool and Lincoln if Championship interest emerges once more.

Kenny has now established his reputation within senior football and, still aged just 19, has a range of admirers, some of which could just be from the Championship in the weeks to come.

Blackpool and Lincoln will hope that's not the case, though, and they would have the advantage of potentially being able to offer Kenny an immediate first-team place which may not be readily available from the offset in English football's second-tier.