Michael Skubala to leave Lincoln City for Bristol City? Everything we know right now | OneFootball

Will Michael Skubala leave Lincoln City for Bristol City? Here's everything on the topic

Lincoln City will be playing in the second tier for the first time since the 1960/61 campaign next season, and a lot of it is down to how their head coach, Michael Skubala, had the Imps playing.

Lincoln ended the League One season on a 29-game unbeaten run, finishing on 103 points and, in the end, winning the third-tier title by an impressive 12-point margin.

To be utterly dominant in a league where Lincoln doesn't have the financial pulling power of a lot of their peers is a feat that has not gone unnoticed, and even though Skubala will be managing in the Championship next season, there have been a lot of questions asked whether that will be at Sincil Bank or elsewhere.

Indeed, we know that at least three second-tier sides will be looking for new managers this summer, and while Watford and Blackburn Rovers are yet to get busy in their search for a new man in the dugout, Bristol City have not, and the Imps boss has been highlighted as a potential replacement for the departing interim, Roy Hodgson.

Bristol City trigger Michael Skubala's release clause — Lincoln City boss still expected to remain with Imps

Understandably, Lincoln has been pretty clear that they'd want Skubala to remain at Sincil Bank ahead of their long-awaited second-tier return, and the 43-year-old, who has been at the club since November 2023, seems to share that sentiment.

Ben Jacobs reported that, last week, Skubala was permitted to speak with Bristol City, but the Imps were calm about the situation, with their manager still part of their planning for pre-season later this summer.

The Imps' head coach was one of four candidates that the Robins had been in contact with, and Skubala hadn't asked to leave in the wake of it.

On Monday, Football Insider reported that Skubala wasn't interested in taking the job at Ashton Gate, but Bristol City remained defiant in their pursuit and activated the release clause in the Lincoln boss' contract on Tuesday evening.

That could invoke a bit of worry among the Lincoln fanbase, as they'd be powerless to block a move, but if Bristol City cannot agree terms with Skubala himself, then it becomes a moot point.

Indeed, TalkSport's Alex Crook reported in the aftermath of that announcement that he understands Skubala will stay at Lincoln despite the talks with Bristol City, so it may not be long before the Robins drop this pursuit and look elsewhere.

Who else has been linked with the vacant role at Bristol City?

Skubala staying at Sincil Bank will be brilliant news for Lincoln.

As seen in their retained list, everyone who was under contract last season, barring two players who didn't feature this season, is under contract for next year too, so everyone seems to be going in the same direction ahead of what is expected to be a challenging campaign.

For Bristol City, though, it would mean a pivot away from who is clearly one of their top candidates.

But, as stated, the Robins have been in contact with other head coaches, too. Portsmouth's John Mousinho has been linked, as has former Rangers and Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard and current Brondby boss Steve Cooper, according to Bristol Live.

So, if Bristol City do fall short in their pursuit of Skubala, there seems to be plenty of apt replacements who the Robins can look towards instead. But as it stands, they aren't giving up on the Lincoln boss just yet.