Normally, the period without an international tournament is filled with rumours and gossip about which players are leaving a certain club and who is joining. But as is the case every other year, this summer has been filled with tournament fever.
However, just because the world’s biggest stage is being called into question doesn’t mean club football is dead, so to speak; in fact, it is quite the opposite.
This article will look at Frank Lampard’s side and pick apart the key areas that will need improving, and some rumours and opinions around potential summer signings should the Sky Blues fight for survival in England’s top-flight.
Released and Retained:
The beginning of every new season, or more so the end of the season and looking ahead, starts with a released and retained list. And, in Coventry City’s case, not all that much has changed.
Each of the 3 loan players returned to their parent clubs with a medal around their necks. The most influential loan was that of Carl Rushworth, and was without doubt a crucial reason behind Coventry’s successes last season.
Jamie Allen most notably departs the Sky Blues, having overseen promotion to the Championship, now followed by promotion to the Premier League since his arrival in 2019. Not only him, but they also bid farewell to Brad Collins, who signed for the club in the summer of 2023.
Areas for Improvement:
Looking at the early make-up of the squad going into the 26/27 season, there are four main areas for improvement, and there is even an argument for a fifth, which we will delve into in due course.
It goes without saying, but people’s presumptions of whether the team is good enough to survive will have already begun boiling, and clearly these players deserve a chance to prove themselves at the top level.
Owner Doug King has reported previously that he intends to allow a large proportion of the squad to show their talents among the ‘big boys’, given the expectation around the amount the club will be willing to spend.
On The Football Boardroom, the Coventry owner discusses well about building assets, hinting that he believes in this team.
He said: “The critical thing is to buy well and I’m very well aware of that.
“If you look at the last three years since I took over, our squad value I think was 30 million euros; today if you strip out the loan players it’s 170 million euros on Transfermarkt.
“Have I spent 140 million euros to build it up? Of course I haven’t.”
That being said, for me, they will need to improve the depth of the team in a few main areas; the biggest standout is left-back. Despite Jay Dasilva’s rise in performance level since the arrival of Frank Lampard back in November 2024, on paper at least, it looks like the biggest gap in quality for the Sky Blues to address.
With the depth in centre-half improved by the signing of Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported £17 million, the Midlands outfit will utilise their depth in midfield to further strengthen it by adding an attacking midfielder to give competition to Jack Rudoni.
Confirmed Deals:
So far, it’s only the two additions for the newly bedded Premier League side, and one of those signings is a record one as it stands for the Sky Blues, as Frenchman Loum Tchaouna signed for a rumoured £20 million fee.
The 22-year-old winger only registered 3 goal contributions in the Premier League with relegated side Burnley last season, but brings with him a lot of know-how and experience from some of Europe’s top leagues, having played for sides in Ligue 1 in France and Serie A in Italy.
Alongside Tchaouna to add depth to the attack, Amenda has been recruited, as previously mentioned, into the Sky Blues’ backline.
Targets:
Ben Chilwell
Since I identified the left-back role as the biggest ‘weak’ point, it’s poignant that we start there with names I feel Coventry should look at adding to the squad.
The 29-year-old played in 34 games last season for RC Strasbourg, and Lampard has directly worked with the English defender in both stints he had at Chelsea, and therefore is already used to his former manager’s demands in the Coventry Building Society Arena dugout.
This is more my opinion than one that is currently linked to the Sky Blues. But as stated, with previous experience under the current Coventry boss, it makes sense to fill the gap at left back with not only Premier League experience, but also Frank Lampard experience, which will only aid the squad harmony.
Jacques Ekomie
Ekomie plays his football out in France for Ligue 1 outfit Angers, and is another left-back option for the Sky Blues to consider over the summer window.
The 22-year-old Gabon International completed 32 league matches last season, 25 of them being starts, and is a highly rated prospect.
FotMob statistics show that over the 2,240 minutes he appeared in, he was utilised as a more defensive option, with his defensive attributes tacking superiority over anything else in his game per 90 minutes.
Last season, Ekomie was winning roughly 54% of his total duels and averaging 4 recoveries in a match.
The question that then lies is… How does he fit?
Given Lampard’s system present at the Coventry Building Society Arena, he likes to utilise the attacking attributes of his fullbacks, shown through Milan Van Ewijk registering 8 assists in the Championship in 25/26, and statistics suggest Ekomie isn’t of that mould.
Statistics only get you so far though, as we all know, and just by watching a few minutes of how the 22-year-old plays, you can clearly see his pace will be a big benefit, and he mostly wins the ball high up the pitch, which would see him bed into the defensive structure of Lampard’s team quite nicely.
Carl Rushworth
At the time of writing, he hasn’t yet signed for Coventry on a permanent basis, though I sense his arrival is imminent.
From the moment promotion was confirmed, Coventry fans knew who they wanted in goal in the Premier League, and I suspect it remains that way now.
The BBC are one of many to report the £30 million fee that Brighton want for their 25-year-old shot-stopper after his impressive loan spell at the Sky Blues throughout last season.
I could delve on and on into why he makes sense for Coventry, but I will save that for as and when a deal is announced.
Romano Schmid
The final name on this list of targets is another one I feel could benefit the Sky Blues. Currently playing his football out in Germany with Werder Bremen, the Austrian also featured at the World Cup, even grabbing a goal out in the US.
Over the course of last season, he contributed to 12 goals in 34 Bundesliga matches, in which he started all of them. Clearly a key cog in the side, helping ensure their top-flight status with a 15th-place league finish.
But what would make him the most suited for Coventry is his versatility in attacking play, being able to operate as a wide outlet or in the number 10, therefore providing useful cover to the Sky Blues’ squad at hand.
FotMob shows that his season total for goals is actually lower than the chances he creates, which can be looked at as both a positive and a negative. Positive in the sense we know Schmid will create chances, but negative in the sense he wasn’t taking them.
Despite this, his possession statistics, especially around his passing, looked the part; most notably creating 2.6 chances per 90. Creativity is great, but where I think he could excel under Lampard would be in that number 10 role, rotating with Jack Rudoni.
Why, you ask? Well, he wins possession high in the final third 1.11 times per 90, showing he likes to press and could suit that 4-4-2 look out of possession, where he could push up and be that second striker to press the opposition defence.
Summary:
These are just four of many that could be suggested, but these four are specifically tailored to how I feel Coventry should or will be shaping their business after the two new additions to the squad already.
Whatever is in stock for the rest of the summer window for those in sky blue, it’s bound to be an incredible journey.
Can Coventry weather the storm of the top flight, or will they sink back to the EFL Championship?
