Close to happening according to telegraph
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sp...ews/look-coventry-city-close-striking-8480953
Coventry City are closing in on a defender who played in last summer’s World Cup and provided an assist for one of the iconic goals of the competition.
The Sky Blues are tracking Aussie Ryan McGowan who cut his teeth with Hearts in the Scottish Premier League before switching to Shandong Luneng Taishan of the Chinese Super League where he’s out of contract and available on the free transfer.
However, the 6ft 3inch tall 25-year-old who has 12 caps for Australia, will come at a price in terms of wages and it remains to be seen whether City can contrive a package to tempt him back to the UK.
He is understood to be keen to hook up with the Sky Blues where he has connections with manager Steven Pressley and his staff but the club would need to offload players surplus to requirements to make funds available.
Strong and athletic, McGowan is as comfortable as a right-sided centre-half as he is at right-back and football fans may recall his deep cross for Tim Cahill’s sublime volley in the Socceroos’ 3–2 group stage defeat by The Netherlands.
He played in all three matches for his country in Brazil 2014, given the job of marking David Villa in the final group game against Spain, which they lost 3-0.
Adelaide-born to Scottish parents who come from Glasgow, McGowan started out as a youth team player at Hearts while City boss Pressley was an established first team player and skipper.
He was looked after by City’s Under-21s boss Darren Murray who was head of youth development at Tynecastle and oversaw the defender’s development after he arrived from Down Under as a teenager.
He established himself as captain of the Under-19s and his best season for the Jambos in the SPL was in 2011–12 when he scored three goals – including one in the 127th Scottish Cup Final against Hibs which Hearts won 5–1 – and winning the club’s Young Player of the Year award.
