Chris Fagan joins Richard Butcher and Jamie Clarke in Peter Jackson’s team ahead of the new season.
Fagan (20), a former Manchester United youngster where he was released last summer after failing to make the grade at Old Trafford.
Following his release by Manchester United, the Irishman joined the Glenn Hoddel academy in Spain despite interest from football league clubs. The academy is deigned to give players released by their clubs a second chance at making it in the game at 5 star facilities.
Despite never playing a game at first team level, Fagan was called up to the Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad where he made his debut in March against Spain and this was followed by a second cap coming against Turkey.
Fagan was on trial with League One side Huddersfield Town at the end of last season where he bagged a hat-trick for the Terriers second string.
Fagan becomes the first player to graduate from the Glenn Hoddle academy and earn himself a professional contract at a football league club.
The Irish Under 21 international is the first of two strikers expected to join Lincoln this week. The other rumoured striker to join Lincoln is Macclesfield hitman Gareth Evans. If the Imps do sign Evans then the Silkmen will be due a fee as Evans is under the age of 24.
The 20 year-old finished Macclesfield’s top scorer last season with 13 goals and if Evans is Peter Jackson’s target then it will be a young and inexperienced forward line ahead of the 09/10 League Two campaign.
Peter Jackson was deligted with the signing, speaking to the club’s official website he said ” I watched him towards the end of last season and Iffy’s been out to Spain to have a look at him and this kid has got everthing. A number of clubs in Spain and the rest of Europe were interested in him so he could well be the signing of the summer in terms of potential. Glenn Hoddle has put great faith into the club and myself by letting Chris come here and for us to become the first team to sign a player from Glenn’s academy is a real coup for us.”
Imps boss Peter Jackson has seen bolstering his forward line as a priority after struggling in front of goal last season. There is no news about the contract extension offer to Romanian striker Adrian Patulea.