Sean Raggett will sign off for League Two Lincoln on January 1, but Imps' boss Danny Cowley remains hopeful Norwich City will sanction a return.

Raggett will be available for the Canaries' glamour FA Cup third round tie at home to Premier League champions Chelsea on January 6, but City head coach Daniel Farke is yet to make a final decision on where the powerful centre back plies his trade over the second part of the season.

City originally loaned the defender back to Lincoln, under the terms of his move last summer, and Farke has now allowed his compatriot, Marcel Franke, to join Dyanmo Dresden on loan in the New Year.

Cowley confirmed on Friday talks are still on-going with the Canaries over Raggett, who is set to sign off in Lincoln's scheduled New Year's Day trip to League Two leaders Luton Town.

'We've had really good dialogue with Norwich and he's going to go back there as of January 2,' Cowley told Lincolnshire Live. 'Norwich will then make a decision off the back of that.

'(Luton) will be our fourth game in nine days and against the best possession-based side in the division. We'll have to do our most running without the ball so it will be a huge challenge for us.

'But right now we're focused on what's in front of us and we want to accumulate points in the three games before then.'

Farke, speaking last week, insisted all options are on the table regarding Raggett, who is only able to play for two clubs in one season under Fifa rules.

'We are good in that area right now but you never know what can happen in four or five weeks, with injuries or bookings and many games,' he said. 'The window opens and there will be some speculation around our players.

'It is good to have this option with Sean.

'He is a bit like Christoph (Zimmermann), a young player with potential.

'He has been here during the international breaks with us and he is a good guy.

'We will see when he is here for a few weeks how quickly he can adapt to our level. What happens for the next part of the season is hard to predict.'

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