Lincoln City have completed the signing of Paudie O'Connor on a free transfer, the club announced this afternoon.

The Irishman has been a key player for Bradford City in the last few seasons in League Two and chose not to extend his contract at Valley Parade to pursue other opportunities.

The 24-year-old is the first addition of the Mark Kennedy era at Sincil Bank, and it will be interesting to see how the Imps address other areas of their squad in the coming months.

Kennedy was delighted to get the deal over the line when he spoke to the club's website.

He said: "Paudie was our No.1 target for this position and we are delighted to be able to announce him as our first signing of the summer.

"He has been in great demand and we have worked really hard to convince him that this is the right move for his career.

"Paudie is more than just a fantastic defender.

"He is also a leader and will have a massive role to play in what we want to achieve moving forward, on and off the pitch."

Lincoln underperformed compared to the standards that they set in the 2020/21 campaign under Michael Appleton, and it will be intriguing to see how Kennedy begins in the dugout, having signed a long term deal as manager.

The Verdict

This is a very shrewd piece of business, and it should go some way to helping the Imps improve on last season's underwhelming showing.

The Imps remain a club on the up in the EFL, but the size and financial muscle of some of the other clubs in the division has made it difficult, and could continue to, for them to compete towards the top end.

O'Connor was one of the hottest properties available on a free having played in League Two last season, and it is a credit to Kennedy that they were able to sell him a project to get involved with.

The Leeds United academy product is comfortable with the ball at his feet and will be a key cog in Kennedy's plans heading towards the new season.