Lincoln City have completed the signing of midfielder Yunus Konak from Brentford on a season-long loan, the club have confirmed. The deal comes just three days after the Imps began their first Championship campaign in 65 years, and according to BBC Sport, Konak was sporting director Jez George's "number one" midfield target throughout the summer.
The deal structure
Konak, who is 20 years old, committed to a fresh five-year contract with Brentford before immediately heading out on loan to Sincil Bank. That new deal also contains an additional 12-month option, suggesting the parent club value him highly despite sanctioning his departure for the season. The loan itself runs until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, giving Lincoln a full season to work with the Turkey under-21 international.
Who is Konak?
The midfielder originally joined Brentford from Turkish club Sivasspor in January 2024 at the age of 18. He has since made 10 substitute appearances in the top flight for the Bees without yet nailing down a regular starting berth. A loan spell in the Championship last season with Oxford gave him 16 appearances at this level, though that stint ended in disappointment as Oxford were relegated to League One.
That prior Championship experience, albeit in difficult circumstances, will have informed Lincoln's decision to pursue him. George spoke candidly about the player's profile on the club's official website, describing him as a number six whose defensive attributes align with Lincoln's game model.
"As a number six, we feel as though all his out of possession attributes fit perfectly to our game model and that we can help him to develop some of his other qualities in how we play with the ball," George said.
What Lincoln are getting
The profile George outlined suggests Lincoln are bringing in a midfielder built around defensive discipline and pressing intensity. For a newly promoted side finding their feet at second-tier level, that kind of structural solidity in the engine room is a sensible priority. The suggestion that the club also believe they can develop Konak's on-ball qualities indicates this is viewed as a partnership of sorts: Lincoln get a ready-made defensive presence, Konak gets a platform and consistent minutes.
Having already tasted Championship football with Oxford, Konak arrives without the shock of the step up. That familiarity with the division's intensity and tempo could prove important as Lincoln look to establish themselves quickly at this level.
The wider context
Lincoln opened their Championship account with a defeat to Middlesbrough, meaning there is immediate pressure to find solutions ahead of Saturday's home fixture against Portsmouth at Sincil Bank. Konak's arrival adds an option in central midfield and strengthens the overall squad depth as the Imps navigate a season in which simply staying in the division would represent a considerable achievement.
George's willingness to name Konak publicly as the club's top midfield target underlines how central this signing was to Lincoln's summer recruitment planning. Whether the 20-year-old can hold down a starting role and help the Imps build momentum in the second tier remains to be seen, but the groundwork has been laid carefully.
Frequently asked
- Who is Yunus Konak?
- Yunus Konak is a 20-year-old Turkish under-21 international midfielder who joined Brentford from Sivasspor in January 2024. He has made 10 substitute appearances in the top flight and had a loan spell in the Championship with Oxford last season.
- How long is Konak's loan at Lincoln City?
- Konak has joined Lincoln on a season-long loan from Brentford, covering the full 2025-26 Championship campaign.
- What position does Yunus Konak play?
- Konak plays as a defensive midfielder, or number six. Lincoln's sporting director Jez George has highlighted his out-of-possession attributes as a key reason for the signing.