Football League World
·26 October 2024
Football League World
·26 October 2024
One of the hottest properties in the EFL, Lincoln's Ethan Erhahon has spoken out on his future amid intense interest
The lower tiers of the EFL have been a hotbed for talent down the years, and the latest in a long line of future stars appears to be Lincoln City's Ethan Erhahon.
The midfielder has made a name for himself at the LNER Stadium of late since his move from St Mirren in January 2023, and his performances this season have helped contribute to the fact Lincoln find themselves firmly in the League One play-off shake-up in the early stages of the season.
With such performances come interest though, something Lincoln will be all too aware of, but also something they'll be comfortable with, knowing they stand to net a healthy profit on a man who reportedly cost them only £300,000.
The Imps are expecting to demand a club-record fee when Erhahon is eventually sold, a record which currently stands at around £640,000 when they sold Harry Toffolo.
But with Erhahon's contract due to expire at the end of next season, Lincoln are approaching a crossroads moment where they may have to sell their prize asset or risk losing him for a fee that doesn't necessarily reflect his worth.
Lincoln boss Michael Skubala has previously admitted that his side will "struggle" to keep hold of Erhahon for much longer, but they will have him until at least January now.
Burnley, Norwich, Hull and West Brom were all reportedly sniffing around Erhahon in the summer, and those Championship clubs could elect to renew their interest in January.
Keeping hold of Erhahon for much longer seems a tall order for Lincoln, but in the midst of their quest to reach the second tier, selling their prized asset in January will likely require a hefty fee.
That might be something all four of those clubs, all of whom harbour their own promotion hopes, would be happy to stump up given the potential re-sale value the 23-year-old has.
His stats this season have been mightily impressive once again, as he fills the 'Rodri role' that every club in football is looking for someone to fill.
Despite the intense speculation surrounding where his future lies, Erhahon has said that he's content at Lincoln and isn't in a rush to leave.
With a wise head on very young shoulders, Erhahon knows his next move could be crucial in his career.
Speaking about the prospect of a move elsewhere, the Lincoln midfielder told The Sun:
“I have to see what happens in January. Director of football Jez George and people high up at the club sat with me and my agent and said if anyone meets our valuation we’ll have a discussion."
"There’s no rush to move. I’m happy here and enjoy it.
"As soon as that summer window shut, it was about getting my head down and playing. We all agreed any move would have to be right for me and I wasn’t going to jump at the first offer.
"In football, you want to go as high as possible, whether that’s through getting promoted with them, or going elsewhere. But we have a great relationship and everything is good."
Whether any club meets Lincoln's valuation remains to be seen, but there are two near certainties to come out of the transfer fiasco, the first being that Erhahon will give his all to Lincoln in the meantime, and the second being that it's only a matter of time before he moves on to bigger things.