Seven facing moving time
The Stars who may leave Sky Blues in transfer window
MARK Robins has stated he wants to reduce the size of his Coventry City squad this January. The Sky Blues boss is likely to send some younger players out on loan to get valuable first-team football, while other development players may have reached the end of their journey with the club. And as Robins continues to strengthen Jason Farndon’s Under-23 development group, so more players will become surplus to requirement. The first-team squad also includes a number of players who need to get out to play games, whether on a temporary or permanent basis. Here Sky Blues reporter ANDY TURNER looks at the seven players who are most likely to move on this January, either on loan or permanent deals.
Tony Andreu: Things simply haven’t worked out for the French playmaker whose City career came crashing to a halt before it had barely begun when he suffered a season-ending cruciate knee ligament injury little more than a month after signing from Norwich City in the summer of 2017.
The 30-year-old has been limited to just six League One starts and 12 appearances in all this term following his return from his long-term lay-off.
He’s not played since he went on as a second-half substitute at Fleetwood at the end of November, and been included in the matchday squad just once in the eight games since.
And with the arrival of Bright Enobakhare, who can play anywhere across the forward line, on loan from Wolves, and another striker due in by the end of the month, Andreu will slip further down the pecking order.
Out of contract in the summer, the experienced player is likely to head out on loan for the rest of the season. Abu Ogogo: He is another who, at 29, is struggling for game time with the Sky Blues, having started just six league games and made four appearances from the bench in the division since last year’s Shrewsbury Town skipper joined City on a free transfer in the summer.
He last started a game against his former club just before Christmas but has not been included in the matchday 18 since.
At his age the former Shrews fans’ favourite will be extremely frustrated, appearing to be well out of the current picture at Coventry.
Is it time for both parties to call time on his stay at the Ricoh and a deal that still has two-and-a-half years to run?
There will, surely, be plenty of interest in the January window to either take him on loan or even make him a permanent signing.
Chris Camwell: The young left-back looked to be heading to MK Dons this month after a trial spell with the League Two club.
The proposed move, however, ended in disappointment for the lad after manager Paul Tisdale decided he wasn’t for him.
Having fallen down the pecking order at City this season following the arrival of Sam McCallum in the summer, the 20-year-old Bedworth lad, once linked with interest from Stoke City, is clearly surplus to requirement under Robins.
Reece Ford: The centre-back is another Academy graduate who has slipped down the pecking order due to City having recruited from outside the club.
The 20-year-old signed a new deal in March last year, taking him to this coming summer with an option in the club’s favour to extend it for a further 12 months.
But following the arrival of fellow centre-halves Morgan Williams in the summer and Declan Drysdale this month, not forgetting the highlyrated Jordon Thompson, it’s unlikely that the club will take up that option and the defender is likely to be allowed to move on for free.
Jak Hickman: The high energy and fully committed right-back/wingback is another who needs to get out and play competitive games to aid his development rather than continue in the Under-23s.
Although he was given a taste of first-team football in the Checkatrade Trophy this season, the 20-year-old’s pathway appears pretty clogged up with little sign of the lad breaking through with Dujon Sterling and Jack Grimmer ahead of him.
He was out on loan at non-league Ashton United earlier this term, having had a spell at Mickleover Sports last season, and another spell away looks likely for the player who desperately wants first-team football.
Reise Allassani: Bought in last summer, the former Crystal Palace ‘wonder kid’ has dipped in and out of the first-team picture this season, making one senior start in the Checkatrade Trophy and five League One appearances from the bench in between a brief loan spell at non-league Ebbsfleet. The arrival of Bright Enobakhare on loan from Wolves, however, appears to had halted Allassani’s progress for the time being and the most likely outcome is that the 23-year-old will be sent out on loan again.
Callum Maycock: The central midfielder has made 12 senior showings, including four from the bench in the league, since stepping up from the Under-18s.
The 21-year-old has gained valuable experience out on loan at struggling Macclesfield Town this season, playing 27 games to date, but Mark Robins revealed last week that the lad is due back at City this month.
During that time away summer signing from Brentford, Zain Westbrooke, has been handed his chance to impress and seemingly taken it, casting doubts about Maycock’s future at Coventry where Robins is well blessed in the midfield department.
Contracted until June 2020, it’s unclear if he’ll go out on loan again to continue his development or allowed to leave.
Either way, he’s unlikely to get a first-team chance any time soon given the quality and numbers ahead of him.