Coventry City are looking strong under Mark Robins ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Sky Blues have already made a couple of intriguing signings this summer as they continue to build a squad capable of promotion to the Premier League. First through the door was 20-year-old Raphael Rodrigues who arrived from Australia, having scored a handful of goals for Macarthur FC last season.
Then, there was the permanent signing of midfielder Luis Binks, who had featured on loan for Coventry last season from Bologna, with the 22-year-old signing a four-year deal. Lastly, one of Huddersfield’s star players last season, Jack Rudoni, arrived in the West Midlands for an undisclosed fee, which could turn out to be an incredibly exciting transfer for Sky Blue fans.
That is without mentioning the talented forward, Ephron Mason-Clark, who signed in January but went back out on loan to his former club, Peterborough United, in League One. The 24-year-old will certainly feel like a brand-new signing when he features at the start of the season.
The Blades look set to be victorious in the race for free agent Callum O’Hare, following his exit from the Sky Blues.
Robins was evidently keen on securing new signings early doors, but the transfer window does not close until the 30th of August, so there remains plenty of time for movement.
With that in mind, Football League World looks at two deals that could be made before the start of the season regarding Coventry City.
In: Mitchy Ntelo
Coventry have had their eyes set on forward, Mitchy Ntelo, for the last month as they look to add strength in depth to their attacking options. Recently, the Sky Blues saw the departure of popular striker, Matty Godden, who joined League One Charlton Athletic, so they be looking to find a potential replacement.
Ntelo is a Standard Liege academy graduate, but is now based in Bulgaria, where he plays his football for Lokomotiv Plovdiv. Last season, the 23-year-old scored five goals and assisted four in just 15 appearances, and as a result, finds himself on Coventry’s radar.
| Mitchy Ntelo’s Lokomotiv Plovdiv stats (all comps), as per transfermarkt | ||
|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 15 | 5 | 4 |
The reports of Coventry’s interest surfaced in June, when Belgian reporter, Sacha Tavolieri, claimed that the Sky Blues had placed Ntelo on their shortlist. The post on X also suggests that his club are asking for around €1.2 million, which would more than likely work for Coventry.
🇷🇺 Freshly promoted to Russian D1, #FKKhimki attacks with an written bid of 700KEUR for Mitchy Ntelo! 🇧🇪 🇧🇬 His Bulgarian club, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, asking around €1.2M. 🏴 Coventry City – very interested – has placed him on their shortlist for this summer. #CCFC #mercato #RCSC pic.twitter.com/OfYaNMWHuy — Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) June 6, 2024
The Belgian forward is clearly an exciting prospect and Coventry will be looking to add to their already strong attacking options. Of course, he would have a tough time getting into the team ahead of the likes of Ellis Simms and Haji Wright, but he could certainly provide an option off the bench for Mark Robins.
Out: Fabio Tavares
Fabio Tavares has spent the last three and a half years on the books at Coventry City but has only managed 28 appearances in all competitions in that time.
The 23-year-old missed the majority of the 2023/24 season through injury, but when he got his opportunity in the FA Cup, he took it by scoring a brace against Maidstone United and grabbing an assist against Manchester United in the semi-final at Wembley.
The forward, who can play through the middle or on the right wing, clearly has a lot of promise but has been unable to show it consistently, mostly due to injury, so perhaps a loan move this summer would do him the world of good.
If Robins is in the market for a new forward like Mitchy Ntelo, there is no harm in sending Tavares out on loan to League One to allow him to prove his worth at the club.
