Ranking Coventry City’s summer signing based on their reputation
HIGHLIGHTS
- Coventry City missed out on promotion to the Premier League by a narrow margin, leading to a busy summer for their recruitment staff.
- The club made several signings during the transfer window to strengthen their squad and maintain competitiveness in the Championship.
- Some notable signings include Haji Wright, Bobby Thomas, and Milan van Ewijk, who bring promise and new dimensions to the team.
Coventry City suffered the disappointment of missing out on promotion to the Premier League last season by the finest of margins.
A penalty shoot-out loss to Luton Town meant that Mark Robins’ side were consigned to another campaign in the Championship.
Fankaty Dabo’s missed penalty was all that separated the two teams after 120 minutes in Wembley Stadium, with the scores level at 1-1 after extra time.
The disappointment of defeat meant that a busy summer lay ahead for the recruitment staff at the Sky Blues.
Coventry will be hoping that the work they’ve put in over the course of the transfer window will have improved Robins’ squad for the year ahead.
The departures of Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres to Sheffield United and Sporting CP have come as a blow.
| Coventry City – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Haji Wright | Antalyaspor | Permanent |
| Ellis Simms | Everton | Permanent |
| Liam Kitching | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Milan van Ewijk | Heerenveen | Permanent |
| Bobby Thomas | Burnley | Permanent |
| Tatsuhiro Sakamoto | KV Oostende | Permanent |
| Brad Collins | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Jay Dasilva | Bristol City | Permanent |
| Joel Latibeaudiere | Swansea City | Permanent |
| Yasin Ayari | Brighton | Loan |
| Luis Binks | Bologna | Loan |
But 11 players have come through the doors of the CBS Arena, so Coventry have certainly spent enough to maintain competitiveness in the Championship.
The battle for the promotion places is set to be fierce this campaign, with several clubs aiming for a top two and top six spot.
Here we rank the new recruits at Coventry from the last summer window from worst to best…
11Brad Collins
Collins signed for Coventry from Barnsley, where he was first choice between the sticks for four seasons.
However, he lost his place in Michael Duff’s side in the final stages of the previous campaign before signing for the Sky Blues.
Collins is a perfectly solid second choice to have in Robins’ squad, but he might not be anything more than that for the Championship club this term.
10Luis Binks
The defender arrived on loan from Italian side Bologna during the summer, signing for the full season ahead.
A temporary move for the England youth international is a solid bit of business for Coventry.
The defender has earned a good reputation as he has come through the ranks into senior football in recent years.
Although, as it is just a temporary move, the benefit of him performing well for Coventry isn’t worth as much as if he had signed on a permanent basis.
9Yasin Ayari
Ayari joined as part of a season-long loan from Brighton.
The 19-year-old is a promising, up-and-coming talent that could surprise people in the Championship this year.
The youngster is already capped at senior international level for Sweden off the back of his impressive performances for AIK, before signing for Brighton on a permanent basis during the summer.
Given the Seagulls’ own reputation for finding hidden gems in the market, this could prove a really shrewd deal by Coventry.
8Bobby Thomas
Coventry were in need of a new defender following the departure of Luke McNally over the summer.
The Irishman was a key part of the second half of last season but returned to Burnley after his loan spell ended.
Thomas has arrived in his place, signing from the Clarets following their promotion to the Premier League.
The 22-year-old impressed on loan spells with Bristol Rovers and Barnsley in League One last season.
7Milan van Ewijk
Van Ewijk was a left-field arrival, signing from Dutch side Heerenveen in a deal reportedly worth £3.5 million.
The defender signed a four-year deal, joining the Championship from a side that finished eighth in the Eredivisie last season.
Van Ewijk was an important part of the Dutch team last year, playing a key role in their top half of the table finish.
He scored six goals from 36 appearances, earning himself an impressive reputation before signing for Robins’ side.
6Tatsuhiro Sakamoto
Sakamoto moved to Coventry from Belgian side KV Oostende, where he made 30 appearances in just one year.
The winger is the latest Japan international to make a move to English football, with the nation becoming something of an untapped market that is now finally being explored.
The winger has arrived with a reputation as being an exciting, creative player that can bring a new dimension to Robins’ attacking options.
5Haji Wright
An influx of Americans has also been a trend in the transfer market over the last couple of years, with Coventry signing one of their own last summer.
Wright has arrived from Turkish side Antalyaspor, where he scored 15 goals in 28 appearances.
His impressive record in front of goal has made him an exciting addition to the team and one Coventry fans are looking forward to seeing in action.
4Jay Dasilva
Dasilva arrived from rivals Bristol City – having been in and out of the starting XI last term.
This was a smart signing that bolstered the team’s defensive options on the left flank.
He has arrived with a positive reputation, with the defender seen as someone that can contribute in attack and defence.
3Joel Latibeaudiere
Latibeaudiere is another player that signed from a Championship rival over the summer, strengthening Coventry’s defensive options.
The defender spent three years with Swansea City, where he established himself as a key player in the team.
The Jamaica international will be a strong addition to Robins’ squad and should bolster their chances of competing for promotion to the Premier League.
2Liam Kitching
Coventry fought hard to sign Kitching from Barnsley late in the transfer window, but they finally secured a deal to bring the player to the CBS Arena before the market shut until January.
The 23-year-old was a standout figure for the Tykes in League One last season and arrives with plenty of Championship experience under his belt already.
Robins will be hoping he can have a big impact on the team, with the Sky Blues aiming to earn another top six finish this season.
1Ellis Simms
Simms arrived after a tough battle with a number of Championship rivals to secure his signature.
The striker had an impressive loan spell with Sunderland in the first half of the previous campaign, scoring seven goals from 17 appearances.
Replacing Gyokeres was always going to be difficult, but splashing out the £8 million needed to sign Simms was seen by many as a smart move to help keep Robins’ squad competitive in the Championship.
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