Sky Blues closing in on NINTH signing
Sky Blues in double win at the Posh
COVENTRY City boss Mark Robins says the club are moving in on their ninth signing of the summer and that a further two could follow before the end of the transfer window.
Sky Blues fans were treated with two new arrivals in two days with Brighton defender Leo Ostigard and Nottingham Forest forward Tyler Walker both arriving.
Ostigard will spend the season on loan with Coventry while Walker made his move permanent, putting pen to paper of a threeyear deal.
But they could be followed into Ryton-on-dunsmore by more reinforcements, Robins says, with central midfield thought to be his main focus between now and the start of the Championship campaign.
The Telegraph understands that the club have approached West Bromwich Albion in search of the services of 22-year-old midfielder Sam Field who looks set to depart the Hawthorns this summer.
That have also been in lengthy talks with Arsenal over youngster Ben Sheaf while reports elsewhere have linked them with moves for Manchester United duo Di’shon Bernard and James Garner – will likely face stern competition for 19-year-old Garner from the likes of Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday, who are all said to be keeping tabs on the winger.
“I am not done yet, I am still looking,” said the Sky Blues boss when asked about his recruitment plans by CWR.
“We still need to do bits and pieces and the club know what I want to do. I don’t know yet if we will do it all this window, though.
“There will definitely be another one coming in. I want three, we may only get the one and things are moving forward on that.
“I hope the recruitment continues.
“We have done very well this summer with all the challenges that we have faced.”
COVENTRY City boss Mark Robins is pleased with his side’s 180-minute work-out away against Peterborough United that saw the Sky Blues leave with two victories.
Callum O’hare, Matty Godden, Jodi Jones and Amadou Bakayoko were all on the score sheet at London Road on a day where Gervane Kastaneer made his first outing for the Sky Blues since December, briefly filling in for the injured Fankaty Dabo at right back.
And Robins has refused to rule out that he could well play in that position again between now and Dabo’s return from injury in what would be a sensational return to the first-team.
“I think it was a good workout with some good performances”, said Robins. “We took our chances really well today and Gervane Kastaneer came on in that right-back position and did well.”
“Who knows?,” said Robins, when asked if we will see more Kastaneer before Dabo returns. “That is a position that we were short on and there are players that I will be looking at until Fankaty Dabo is fit.
“He looked powerful and pacy and he put and brilliant ball in after beating his man for Bakayoko to score in the middle.
“He looked bright and lively,” he added. “That was a good day, even with Jodi getting a goal.
“His confidence will grow.
“It has been a really good workout for everybody – but there are still things we can improve on.” City were winners in both parts of their preseason double-header on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Godden, O’hare, a double from Bakayoko and a stunning solo effort from Jones helped Robins’ side to their third and then fourth victory on the bounce.
New-boys Leo Ostigard and Tyler Walker both impressed on their Sky Blues debuts, as too did youngsters Dan Lafferty and Josh Eccles who will have put themselves firmly in Robins’ thoughts.
Kastaneer also made an impact from the bench, crossing for Bakayoko and almost scoring himself. But there was no glimpse of Max Biamou who did travel but remained an unused substitute.
Godden opened the scoring just
after the in gameame one break after some good work from former Aston Villa man O’hare.
The 22-year-old received the ball from Gus Hamer before breaking free down the centre and sliding a calm pass back for Godden to strike high into the net.
Teenage full-back Blaine Rowe impressed as he made his bid for a starting spot against MK Dons in a weeks time.
He made a number of dangerous darts forward during the first half and was unlucky not to get an assist to his name.
Former City striker Jonson Clarke-harris was in the middle of the action at his new club Peterborough where he has just put pen to paper on a £1.25m move.
He should have scored after a Markomarko Marosimarosi mimistake handed him a golden chance to level but Posh did punish City moments later through Ryan Broom.
But the Sky Blues were able to snatch their third pre-season win in a row in the final moments when O’hare fell fortune to a double deflection in the area.
Half-an-hour later, game two began with a second-string City eleven in action.
That game saw Liam Kelly return from injury along with Marcel Hilssner who shook off his own injury concerns to make an impact from the bench.
Youngsters Jay Mcgrath, Will Bapaga and Lafferty would have been the stars of the show were it not for a stunning solo striker by Jones and a double from Bakayoko
that could have been a hat-trick.
Bakayoko’s first was a smart finish from tight range, forcing the ball past the ‘keeper, but his second was a result of some hard work from Kastaneer as he made his first appearance of the summer to cross low to his teammate.
Jones’ goal was the pick of the bunch, though. He drifted out wide before leaving the defender in his dust to skip inside and curl one into the far corner.
It was two wins for City, and a 5-3 aggregate final score.
■ City will face quite a challenge in their final pre-season outing.
They will face Southampton at St Mary’s tomorrow, just a few days’ on from the Saints’ 7-1 thrashing of City’s Championship rivals Swansea.