FLW looks at specific Sky Blues players who could save the club money in the transfer window
It goes without saying that Coventry City will be expected to run a formidable Championship campaign the following season.
It’s no secret that Mark Robins’ tenure as Sky Blues manager has seen the team develop quickly, especially since their return to the second division.
The club’s long-awaited return to the Premier League, where they haven’t been since the 2000–01 season, was just two seasons ago, and while last season was uneventful but also entertaining for fans, it was still very close.
Any chances of promotion were dashed after a fantastic run to the FA Cup semi-final, where City lost to Manchester United on penalties once more. This was due to the weariness of Robins’ team, even with the addition of Hajim Wright and Ellis Simms, who were both in excellent form.
With the sales of Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres, City was able to show off their financial might in the second division. The Swede’s contract with Sporting CP included a 15% sell-on clause, which could result in a significant payout for the team due to a reported €100 million release clause set by the Portuguese team.
But there are several potential at the CBS Arena who could save the team millions of pounds in future investments; FLW investigates many of them bellow.
Raphael Borges Rodrigues
Although a recent acquisition from Australian outfit Macarthur FC, Raphael Borges Rodrigues could prove to be a key asset for the Sky Blues in the years to come.
Despite being an unknown quantity by many in the English game, this faith has been echoed by the fact Rodrigues was given a four-year contract, having made just 50 senior appearances for Macarthur and previously, Melbourne City.
| Raphael Borges Rodrigues’ senior career – Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season(s) | P | G | A |
| Melbourne City | 2020-23 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| Macarthur | 2023-24 | 35 | 6 | 2 |
The 20-year-old Australian youth international who was born in the Netherlands will have to compete with players like Ephron Mason-Clark for a starting spot on the left wing. This could be a challenging task at first, but given his potential—which Robins’ remarks highlighted—he could definitely be used as an impact player in close games next season before trying to establish a regular spot in the Starting XI.
Kai Andrews
While Kai Andrews was largely absent from the CBS Arena first team throughout the 2023–24 season, he may be ready to claim his rightful place in the spotlight.
Andrews, who is only 17 years old, can play in both midfield and as a substitute. He signed his first professional contract with the squad in January, having made his debut appearance in the first team in August in a 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
The homegrown player demonstrated his ability to eventually enter into the senior Dragons side by making three starts for Wales’ Under-19 team.
In a similar vein, it appears to be tough for Andrews to remove either Victor Torp or Ben Sheaf from the starting lineup, but with Liam Kelly’s recent exit, anticipate that the rookie, who saw action on the bench fifteen times the previous season, will have more of an impact this time around.
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