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Norwich City win race to sign Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett

Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett has agreed to sign for Norwich City. Picture: PA PA Wire

Norwich City have won the race to sign highly-rated Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett.

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The Canaries have beaten off interest from the likes of West Ham and Sunderland for the 24-year-old’s signature after an initial fee of around £250,000 was agreed with the League Two side.

Under the terms of the deal Raggett will be loaned back to the Imps until January and a decision will be made then whether to integrate the big centre half into City head coach Daniel Farke’s thinking for the rest of the season.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Lincoln boss Danny Cowley revealed they were on the verge of Raggett’s future being resolved.

“We’re getting close to something happening,” he said. “Until that happens I can’t say too much more. But it looks like there will be an outcome imminently.”

When asked if Raggett would be travelling with the squad for their match at Exeter this weekend, Cowley replied: “He won’t be travelling with us.

“We’re unsure at the moment. There’s obviously been lots of interest in Sean and things are moving quite progressively.

“Hopefully we’ll soon be able to make it much clearer to everybody what is happening.”

Raggett caught the eye last season for Lincoln on their way to winning promotion to the Football League under Cowley.

He also starred in the Imps’ FA Cup run which saw the then National League side go all the way to the quarter final before they were beaten by Arsenal.

Raggett scored the winner in Lincoln’s famous fifth round tie win against Premier League Burnley.

His future has been the talk of the summer amongst Lincoln supporters desperate to see their star man stay and lead their quest to establish themselves in the Football League. He has started all three of their games so far this season.

But Raggett was entering the final 12 months of his contract and Lincoln knew they faced a real battle to keep hold of him although Cowley will be relieved to have at least secured his services for the rest of the year.

Raggett will become Norwich’s 10th signing of the summer and the third centre half to arrive over the close season following the captures of Marcel Franke and Christoph Zimmermann.