Coventry City facing double transfer exit fear – Frank Lampard will be aware
After Sunderland’s dramatic extra-time victory in the play-off semi-final, Coventry City was heartbreakingly eliminated from the Championship promotion battle.
It implies that the Sky Blues will have to prepare for another season in the second division following a successful second half of the season under Frank Lampard.
They will not only have to cope with the disappointment, but they will also be aware that it could jeopardize the future of some of their best players.
Another season in the Championship will only make it harder for Coventry to hold onto players like Milan van Ewijk and Haji Wright, who have previously drawn interest.
Clubs already have Van Ewijk on their buying lists.
The full-back Without a question, one of Coventry’s most precious resources is van Ewijk.
Despite only being 24 years old, he has already established himself as one of the team’s most dynamic players since joining for £3.4 million from Dutch team Heerenveen.
Clubs like Fulham were already interested in him in January, along with others like Roma and Galatasaray.
| Van Ewijk in the Championship this season, as per WhoScored | |
|---|---|
| Start (Sub) | 47 (0) |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Tackles per 90 | 2.1 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.1 |
| Key passes per 90 | 1.3 |
After two successful years with the team, Van Ewijk is settled at the CBS Arena and would have been hard to entice away from there if he had been promoted to the Premier League.
You wouldn’t blame the Dutchman for wanting to push himself to a higher level, especially considering the interest in a third.
After losing to Sunderland, Coventry will have to look for new opportunities if that is his goal.
Haji Wright is quite attractive.
Wright, who has scored 12 goals in just 27 league games this season, is in a similar situation.
In the January transfer window, he was linked to both Ipswich Town and Leicester City, both of which have since been relegated.
Journalist Graeme Bailey confirmed to TBR Football that he was prepared for a top-flight battle, and the Sky Blues were open to a sell in an attempt to quadruple their initial £8 million investment.
Given their inability to earn promotion to the Premier League, it seems unlikely that Coventry and Wright’s mid-season stance would have changed.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see one of the recently promoted teams take a look, even though the appeal has undoubtedly diminished to transfer to Ipswich or Leicester.
Lampard will know that the outcome on Tuesday night may be the end of his two favorite performers, among others.
A bright spot for Coventry
There is at least one bright spot, even if it is certainly heartbreaking not to be going to the top division and it feels like a double blow to perhaps lose two of the Sky Blues’ best players.
Both Wright and Van Ewijk signed four-year contracts in 2023, and they are still bound by them at the CBS Arena through 2027.
The Sky Blues will have more breathing room and won’t need to sell this summer, which will put them in a strong negotiating position.
After the devastating loss to Sunderland, they might not be able to retain their best players in the Championship, but if they are forced to sell, they should at least increase their finances so they can compete again the next season.
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