Sky Blues ‘close to sealing deal for Swiss defender’
COVENTRY City are claimed to be close to signing Switzerland international defender Aurele Amenda.
The 22-year-old centre-back is currently out at the World Cup with his country but it is claimed “advanced negotiations” are taking place between the Sky Blues and the player’s club, Eintracht Frankfurt.
That’s according to German Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg who says that the right-sided centre-half has already been in talks with the newly-promoted Premier League side, and insists the Bundesliga club are prepared to sell.
Standing at a towering 6ft 6ins tall, according to his club profile, Amenda was the subject of a failed approach from Celtic in January to take the player on a half season loan. Reports claimed the defender was valued at £8m in the last transfer window.
Frankfurt viewed him as an important part of their rotation and turned down multiple clubs’ approaches, as they were unwilling to let him leave on a short-term loan. The Scottish side faced stiff competition for his signature, with teams like Lorient, Nice, Torino, and Valencia also tracking his availability.
Five months on and according to Plettenberg, his club are now willing to sell. Posting on social media platform X, he writes: “Advanced negotiations are under way between Coventry City and Eintracht Frankfurt over the immediate transfer of Aurele Amenda.
“The 22-year-old centre-back is already very advanced in talks with Coventry. Amenda wants Premier League, while #SGE [Eintracht Frankfurt] are prepared to sell.”
Amenda signed his first professional contract in December 2021 with Swiss side BSC Young Boys and made his debut for the Bern club the following February.
After making 31 appearances for
Young Boys, he joined Eintracht on a five-year contract in July 2024. Having made his international debut in November 2024 in a Nations League game against Serbia, he has won seven caps.
Coventry are set to appoint a new goalkeeping coach with reports from Scotland claiming Rangers’ Sal Bibbo will be joining Frank Lampard’s backroom staff.
The Coventry Telegraph understands that Aled Williams has left the club after seven years as head of goalkeeping, resulting in the Sky
Blues moving for a replacement as the club prepares to step up to the Premier League.
Former Arsenal coach Bibbo, 51, is described as a “key member” of the Rangers backroom team, with Rangers Review reporting that he has left the club to join Lampard at the CBS Arena.
The Scottish Sun reports that it’s understood Bibbo will leave Rangers just a year after joining the Light Blues to return to England.
Bibbo, who played as a goalkeeper for Havant and Waterlooville, Bath City and Reading amongst others clubs during his playing career, previously coached keepers at Reading, Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday prior to his move to Glasgow.