Makama’s move to Norwich

Jovon Makama has completed a permanent transfer to Norwich City for a club record transfer fee. 

The Canaries will pay an undisclosed amount for Makama, 21, who joined the Imps as a 15-year-old and signed his first professional contract ahead of the 2021/22 season. 

He has since gone on to make 97 senior appearances, scoring 15 goals. He was the Imps' top scorer in 2024/25, with a return of 11 goals in 45 outings and a memorable first senior hat-trick against Bristol Rovers in March. 

Head coach Michael Skubala said: "This is great for Jovon, his family and the club. Young players need time and patience, as well as an elite environment, for them to develop. That is what the club has provided for Jovon over the past six years and, over the past few months, Jovon’s progress has been demonstrated by his level of performance.

“This has been accelerated in the past couple of seasons, but the hard work started way before that. Everyone at the EPC, players and staff, should take credit for this outcome, especially Tom Shaw, who has coached Jovon throughout his entire time at Lincoln City. We wish Jovon every success in the next step of his career at a top Championship club.” 

City's director of football Jez George added: “There are a lot of people, within the Academy and first team, past and present, some of whom no one will have heard of, who deserve a lot of credit but no one more so than Jovon himself.

“We have always known that Jovon’s physical profile and huge potential could one day lead to this type of opportunity for him and he couldn’t be joining a better club in the Championship to continue his development. We know sporting director Ben Knapper from his time as loan and pathway manager at Arsenal, they have an outstanding head coach in Liam Manning, and they are a club that we respect massively in terms of how they operate. He is in good hands. 

“Jovon has shown how development isn’t linear and that young players need belief and backing, particularly when their progress is inconsistent and they are doubted by the ‘outside world’. We have done that as a club, shown perseverance and Jovon has flourished as a result. This is fantastic for him and his family. We wish Jovon well and we know that if his application and hard work continues, he could literally achieve anything in his emerging football career.”   

Picture: Vaughan Photography