Pundit tips West Brom over Norwich City in race to sign in-demand Lincoln City player | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his view on which club would be the best move for Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon.

Pundit Carlton Palmer believes West Bromwich Albion would be the best move for Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon, who is reportedly attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs.

According to TBR, West Brom are one of four second tier sides weighing up a move for Erhahon ahead of the January transfer window, along with Burnley, Norwich City and Hull City.

Erhahon joined the Imps last January from Scottish side St Mirren, and he enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season as Michael Skubala's men narrowly missed out on the play-offs in League One.

The 23-year-old was recognised for his impressive performances as he won both the Players' Player and Fans' Player of the Season awards last term, and Skubala described him as "the best number six in the league by a mile".

Skubala admitted he expected Lincoln to struggle to hold on to Erhahon this summer, but he did remain at Sincil Bank, and director of football Jez George said that he would be "amazed" if the midfielder does not become the club's record sale when he eventually departs.

Palmer: West Brom would be the best fit for Ethan Erhahon

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said that while Erhahon may receive more game time with the likes of Norwich or Hull, he believes a move to West Brom could be perfect for the former Scotland Under-21 international.

"A host of Championship clubs are running the rule over Lincoln's Ethan Erhahon ahead of the January transfer window," Palmer said.

"The 23-year-old is having a fantastic start to the season, and it has got the likes of West Brom, Norwich, Hull and Burnley all looking at him.

"The midfielder joined the Imps in January 2023 and has blossomed into a top talent over the past 18 month, with his performances earning him the club's Player of the Year accolade.

"He's caught the eye of top Championship clubs, and a lot of them are considering making an offer in the New Year.

"He's one of the players who has been transformed since Michael Skubala's appointment, and he's an integral part of what the manager wants to do this season.

"He's very comfortable in possession, he's comfortable with his positioning and he's the sort of midfield player that could flourish when playing for a better side you would think.

"But of course, Lincoln are ambitious and they want to get promotion.

"They've acknowledged that the player is destined to go higher and could comfortably go and play in the Championship, but they want him to stay focused as January is still a way off.

"They will look at the options when they come in for him in January.

"He's still only 23 so he's somewhere off his peak, he's just got to stay focused for now, keep doing what he's doing, and interest is going to grow.

"Where's the best fit for him? It's going to be interesting because the teams that are coming in for him are all up at the top end of the Championship, they're going to be pushing to get promotion to the Premier League.

"What he doesn't want to do is move from Lincoln, make that step up and not play.

"You've got to look at where you're going to get reasonable game time, you don't want to move from Lincoln and be sat on the bench, you want to keep developing.

"A club like Norwich or Hull, who won't be in with a shout of automatic promotion in my opinion, don't have massive squads, so therefore there's more chance of you breaking into the first team.

"Norwich have been renowned for playing young players, but having said that, Carlos Corberan has not been afraid to throw in a young player at West Brom.

"I wouldn't mind seeing him to go to West Brom, I think he could fit in with their style of play and he would be a great asset for them in their push to go to the Premier League."

Ethan Erhahon facing big decision as Championship interest grows

Palmer is right that Erhahon must be guaranteed regular game time if he does make the step up to the Championship in January, and that will likely be a big factor in his mind as he weighs up whether to leave Lincoln.

There is no doubt that Erhahon would be capable of performing in the second tier, but with the Imps among the early promotion contenders in League One, he may decide to remain at Sincil Bank and assess his options in the summer.

However, the opportunity to join a Championship club, particularly one with realistic promotion ambitions such as West Brom or Burnley, could prove to be tempting for Erhahon, and Lincoln may find it tough to turn down a significant offer.

It is difficult to disagree with Palmer that Albion would be the perfect destination for Erhahon, and there would be no better manager for him to develop under than Carlos Corberan, but his minutes may initially be limited at The Hawthorns.