Michael Skubala has issued an update on the future of Imps defender Lewis Montsma, a reported target for Shrewsbury Town.
I feel a little bad when talking about Lewis and a possible exit. We know he has barely featured this season, and an exit is likely, but it feels partly disrespectful. He’s battled back from two major injuries, and when he came in he was a firm favourite of Imps’ fans. The tragedy is we didn’t really get to see him in his pomp, as he had a niggly injury at the start of the 2021/22 season, and never got back to his best.
Still, an exit looks likely, and with Deji Elerewe coming in, his minutes are likely to be even more limited. I don’t think we’ll see him on the bench tonight, which is a shame, but Michael Skubala has suggested there is no rush for him to leave at this moment in time.
Speaking to BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Callum Davis, he confirmed that with Jacko still out, we might look to retain Montsma’s services, at least for a short while. When asked if Deji’s arrival meant Lewis’s exit, Michael replied:
“I don’t think it’s as cut and dry as that. We’ve still got Jacko injured, but there’s no doubt in my mind we have to do the right thing by Lewis, who needs more football. He knows that, we know that. But I don’t think it’s just black and white as one in, one out.”
Michael then paid tribute to the former Dordrecht man, a little as I did in this paragraph (or, I did it like him as the interview came first).
“Lewis has been amazing for the club over his years. He’s obviously had two big injuries and this season struggled for consistent game time, but he’s trained (well).
“He’s a great professional, but there’s a lot of ‘let’s see’ in terms of the last 10 days or a week or whatever we’ve got left with a window to see where we are with that.”
Montsma is still only 27 and could have best part of a decade left in his playing career, and while the ‘easy’ option would be to head back to the Netherlands, it seems like he is determined to get minutes in England. Michael Appleton’s side are one looking at him, and Doncaster Rovers have also been mentioned as a possible destination, should Montsma wish to continue playing at this level.
A link up with Appleton seems sensible, as he would also join former teammates Sam Clucas, Anthony Scully and John Marquis at Salop, giving him some familiar faces to integrate with.
That’s if he goes at all, of course, but whatever happens, he’s served the Imps diligently across more than 100 matches.