Coventry City could be in for a frustrating final week of the summer transfer window with deals proving difficult to get over the line as Mark Robins looks for the final pieces of the jigsaw of his new-look squad.
The
Sky Blues boss has drafted in ten players so far, eight permanent signings and two loans, following the high profile departures of star men Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer whose combined transfer fees have enabled the club to reinvest and strengthen for the 2023/24 Championship campaign.
Robins wants two more permanent signings before Friday evening’s transfer deadline and has identified the need to add one more centre-half and a dynamic central midfielder to help fill the void left by Hamer’s departure to
Premier LeagueSheffield United.
City have had an initial £2.5million bid, reported to be rising to £3m, for Barnsley defender Liam Kitching rejected, although CoventryLive understands that reports that the club are also keen on Tykes’ midfielder Callum Styles are wide of the mark, with
Coventry believed to be looking at the European market for their man.
The League One club appear determined to keep skipper Kitching after Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh told a fans’ forum last week that they are ‘definitely keeping’ the 23-year-old former Leeds United prospect in this window.
Asked if Kitching, along with fellow defender Jordan Williams who has been linked with interest from elsewhere, would be sold this month, Parekh said they are ‘definitely’ staying,
reports the Barnsley Chronicle.
The chairman said: “We have turned down multiple bids for players this summer. We turned down a bid for £3million and another in high six figures. Both of those players will be Barnsley players by the end of the window.”
Asked by CoventryLive if he is any closer to adding to his squad ahead of Friday, Robins said: “Who knows! We might be a day closer but I don’t know. I have no idea. I have nothing to tell you at the moment.”