Lincoln City have terminated the contract of Gbolahan Okewoye by mutual consent.
The midfielder, who was a scholar at City before signing professional terms in the summer, has been allowed to leave to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Okewoye spent time on loan at Lincoln United last season, helping the Whites to promotion and came off the bench for the Imps in the Carabao Cup win at Harrogate Town earlier this season. He was most recently on loan at Grimsby Borough, in step 4 of the pyramid.
The 19-year-old was also a key part of the Imps record-equalling FA Youth Cup run to the fourth round last term. Okewoye played 120 minutes against Plymouth Argyle U18’s as the Imps cruelly exited the competition on penalties.
A combination of loan players being recalled and injuries meant that Okewoye was named in the Imps matchday squad against Luton Town and Burton Albion last month. That followed four games on the bench at the beginning of the season, along with his seven-minute cameo against the Sulphurites in the League Cup. He was also around the Imps’ first team last term.
City’s Sporting Director, Jez George, had the following to say on the decision:
“This is best for Bola in allowing him to find a club closer to home that can give him a platform to play at a level higher than we have been able to find for him.
“He has some outstanding physical attributes but we do not see him progressing into our first team and therefore it is better for him to move on now rather than staying until the end of the season without a realistic future pathway.”
Opinion: Right Move To Further Career
Lincoln have ambitions of reaching the Championship this season, sitting second in League One with a six-point gap to the chasing pack. Naturally, as a side progresses higher up the pyramid, opportunities for younger players become more difficult to give.
If City were to reach the second tier, then the Imps wouldn’t take part in the EFL Trophy anymore. And while they would still enter the League Cup at the same stage, Lincoln would join the FA Cup in the 3rd Round. That would give players like Okewoye five fewer cup games to make their mark in the first team.
For his own development, it seems best that he is able to join up with a Category Two academy that will have a U21’s side. That will allow Okewoye the best chance of making it in the professional game, unless he opts for a move into non-league to try and work his way back up to the EFL. And by making this decision now, it gives the youngster plenty of time to assess his options, rather than joining all the out-of-contract players in the summer when making their next decisions.