Exclusive: Lincoln City eye deal to sign Sheffield Wednesday defender for 26-27 Championship

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Credit: Imago Tue 5 May 2026 16:52, UK Sheffield Wednesday starlet Joe Emery is being eyed by Lincoln City, sources have told Football Insider.The 19-year-old centre-back is out of contract this summer, which has alerted numerous clubs, including the Imps, who have recently won promotion to the Championship.Wednesday are keen to keep hold of the defender ahead of their return to League One next season.Emery made seven appearances for the Owls this season and is believed to have plenty of potential.This news comes after Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover by US consortium Arise Capital Partners was confirmed on Saturday.Who is Joe Emery?Emery joined Sheffield Wednesday from Charlton Athletic’s academy and signed his first professional contract in July 2025. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES After impressing for the academy, the youngster made his professional debut in the Carabao Cup earlier this season in the draw against Bolton Wanderers.Joe Emery fact file Age 19NationalityEnglishHeight6’1″PositionCentre-backCurrent clubSheffield Wednesday Emery is an emerging talent at the OwlsUnfortunately, he was also forced off in the 69th-minute with cramp, as Wednesday went on to win the match on penalties after a 3-3 draw.Later in the campaign, he made his Championship debut, coming off the bench in the 2-0 defeat to Bristol City in January.Since then, he has made a further two appearances in the second-tier before the Owls were relegated to League One.Sheffield Wednesday face battle to keep key starsDespite the club now coming out of a difficult era under Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership, they now face a massive task keeping hold of their brightest stars.Players such as Pierce Charles have been regularly linked away from Hillsborough ahead of the summer transfer window.Emery is now the latest name, despite much of the fanbase dreaming of an instant return to the second tier next season.This is incredible for the Sheffield Wednesday fans.Announcing this in the stadium, the reaction is just 👌pic.twitter.com/PNqmWU08ot— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) May 2, 2026 Now, perhaps the biggest task David Storch and co face is convincing their best players to now stick with the club as they look to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion.As a result, Emery’s contract will have to be sorted as soon as possible, or they will risk losing him to the likes of Lincoln City this summer.As the weeks go on, it will become clearer where the defender’s future lies, as the start of the summer transfer window and the new season edges closer. 🏆 Championship Insider Access Get the full story from across the EFL with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from across the EFL Championship.