Tendayi Darikwa has signed a new contract with the Imps until June 2028 following successful surgery on the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament he sustained earlier this season.
City’s skipper suffered the injury during the Sky Bet Championship fixture against Portsmouth at the ProAmpac Stadium, with subsequent scans confirming the extent of the injury.
Darikwa has now undergone surgery and will begin an extensive rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical and performance staff as he works towards a return to action.
The defender will not play again this season but will remain an important influence on the squad at the Gen2 Energy Elite Performance Centre every day as he embarks on his recovery.
Sporting director Jez George said: “This is what Lincoln City is all about. Tendayi’s commitment and role in our achievements over the past two years speak for themselves, so it is clear to us that we cannot allow him to be out of contract before he is ready to return to team training next pre-season.
“This contract allows Tendayi to focus on his recovery and take the time required to get back playing without the stress of uncertainty next summer. No one knows where the club will be next season, or how the squad will have evolved, and what will be right for Tendayi moving forward, but this isn’t about Tendayi the footballer, it is about Tendayi the person, the husband, the dad. Tendayi remains the club captain and will still impact our results through his leadership off the pitch.”
Everyone at the club is fully behind Tendayi and will provide him with the support he needs throughout his rehabilitation.