Exclusive: Lincoln City closing in on transfer swoop for Colchester United winger | OneFootball

Lincoln City are closing in on a deal for Colchester United winger Oscar Thorn, Football League World has learned

Lincoln City are poised to complete their fifth signing of this summer's transfer window in the form of Colchester United winger Oscar Thorn, sources have exclusively revealed to Football League World on Tuesday afternoon.

It has been a fairly quiet summer window for the Imps, who have made just four acquisitions following last season's 11th-placed finish in League One by bringing Sonny Bradley, Francis Okoronkwo, Ryley Towler and Ivan Varfolomeev to the LNER Stadium.

Michael Skubala's side have endured a difficult summer in terms of outgoings, though, with star performers in Ethan Erhahon, Jovon Makama, last season's captain Paudie O'Connor and Sean Roughan all electing to leave Lincolnshire in recent times as three of the four joined League One rivals.

Despite all of that, however, Lincoln have started the 2025/26 third-tier campaign by picking up 10 points from their opening five encounters, which puts them in seventh place ahead of Saturday's home fixture against Mansfield Town.

Lincoln City closing in on Colchester United's Oscar Thorn

Lincoln remain intent on bolstering Skubala's squad further before the conclusion of the summer window next Monday, which has led them to pursue a move for Thorn.

Indeed, sources close to Football League World have disclosed that Lincoln are closing in on a deal for the Colchester wide-man, who could be imminently set to become an Imps player with less than a week left to run of the window.

The fee in which Lincoln will be forking out for his services remains unclear at this moment in time.

21-year-old Thorn is a graduate of the Colchester academy system and has made 35 senior appearances for the Essex-based outfit after debuting in the 2023/24 campaign, having also spent time out on loan in the National League South with both Bath City and Chelmsford.

Following his return from a brief loan stint with Chelmsford, Thorn would go on to establish himself in the U's first team under ex-Lincoln boss Danny Cowley and clocked up 29 appearances across all competitions last season, registering seven assists.

Still awaiting his first professional goal, Thorn has made five appearances for Colchester so far this term.

Colchester United's Oscar Thorn will be a long-term signing for Lincoln City

Lincoln have a strong track record when it comes to recruitment from lower leagues and player development in recent years, and they will be hoping to replicate that with Thorn.

He's still something of an unknown quantity and doesn't have an extensive body of work within the professional game as of yet, but Lincoln have a knack for identifying and steadily developing talent and evidently believe in the winger's potential.

Having only recently begun to make a name for himself at Colchester, it's unlikely that he will immediately establish himself as a key performer under Skubala, but over time, there's every chance that he could go on to represent yet another bit of inspired business for the League One side.