Lincoln City have completed their January business with the loan signing of midfielder Kamil Conteh from Bristol Rovers until the end of the season.
The 23-year-old arrives to bolster City’s central midfield options, with the move very much framed as depth rather than a late-window attempt to reshape the starting XI.
Conteh joins from Bristol Rovers, where he returned earlier this season following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. His arrival brings added numbers to a part of the squad that the club had already identified as the final area requiring cover before the window closed.
Speaking prior to the deal being confirmed, on our exclusive live deadline day special, City director of football Jez George was clear about the thinking behind any potential late addition, stressing that the club’s approach was about contingency rather than headline chasing.
“We’re not Real Madrid. We are Lincoln City. We know our budget constraints. We know we’re trying to be really responsible, measured, do all the right things, and we also know, being honest, we’re not going to improve our 11 on transfer deadline day. That’s the reality.”
George went on to outline how each area of the squad had been assessed, explaining that while defensive numbers and goalkeeping cover were already in place, midfield was the one department where an additional option made sense.
“So, it probably just leaves us in centre midfield where we just want an insurance on an insurance. That’s the truth. A little bit of depth in there. So, again, we’re looking at Lincoln City solutions, cost effective, pragmatic, outside the box, maybe won’t hit the headlines, but give us just that little bit more depth, which is what we want to be a contingency against a couple of things going wrong.”
That framing fits Conteh’s profile. A powerful, athletic midfielder, he began his career with Watford, making his senior debut in the FA Cup in January 2022 before gaining senior experience on loan at Braintree Town. A subsequent move to Middlesbrough saw him spend time on loan with Gateshead, where he impressed enough to be voted supporters’ player of the year and featured at Wembley in the FA Trophy final.
Conteh signed permanently for Grimsby Town in 2023 before his move to Bristol Rovers the following January. His time at the Memorial Stadium was disrupted by injury, with a rare bone infection ruling him out for a prolonged period, but he returned to action later in 2025 and marked that comeback with a decisive EFL Trophy goal.
Internationally, Conteh has also been capped by Sierra Leone national football team, earning his first senior appearance in March 2022.
For City, the emphasis is clear. Conteh arrives as reliable cover in a demanding position, adding resilience to the squad rather than expectation. As George summed up, the aim is simple.
“We’re just trying to cater for if something goes wrong, a couple of injuries in the same position, just trying to have enough depth.”
The signing feels a little like that of Lee Angol and James Brown back in January 2019, two players who just covered a successful squad, with little expectation of breaking into the first team that went on to win the title. With Conteh now in place, City’s January transfer window is closed, and attention turns fully back to the pitch and a possible Championship promotion campaign.