Coventry City's second season back in the Championship was one of progression, as they built on their 16th-placed finish in 2020-21 and ended up in the top half of the table in 12th.

The Sky Blues have come a long way since their days in League Two just five years ago, and are now gunning for a play-off spot in the upcoming 2022-23 campaign.

Some smart recruitment along the way in the summer and mid-season transfer windows has seen manager Mark Robins build a talented squad which is a blend of young, up-and-coming talents with some much-needed experience.

 

 

 

 

It could be a busy and interesting summer at the Coventry Building Society Arena - let's look at two dilemmas that Robins could have on his plate in the coming months.

Who replaces Gyokeres if he departs

There are going to be a number of Coventry players that will be wanted by perceived bigger clubs this summer, with the likes of Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare attracting interest on the strength of last season's performances.

The overall stand-out though was Viktor Gyokeres, who left the form from his loan deal - where he scored just three times in 19 appearances - behind him to net 17 times in the Championship after making his temporary deal a full-time one from Brighton.

Last summer, Coventry paid just over £1 million (12 million Swedish krona) for the striker's services, and now he could realistically be worth eight figures to the club as it appears a battle is on for the 23-year-old's services.

Middlesbrough and Fulham are both said to be interested, per The Sun, but it would take a huge fee for Coventry to consider cashing in.

If they do, then Robins will have a hard time trying to find a player who does all the things Gyokeres is capable of on his day.

Luke Plange, who spent last season at Derby County in the Championship and returned there on loan after securing a permanent move to Crystal Palace, has already been linked but he would not be a like-for-like replacement.

In an ideal world, Coventry keep Gyokeres, rebuffing any interest in the process, but in reality a big bid may be tough to turn down and if that occurs and the Swede departs, then the Sky Blues need to recruit a similar player.

Whether to pursue Clarke-Salter permanent deal

One area that does look in need of bolstering this summer is Coventry's defence - especially with Jake Clarke-Salter's loan from Chelsea ending.

In Mark Robins' back three, Dom Hyam appeared most in the league with 43 outings, then it was the evergreen Kyle McFadzean on 37, with Michael Rose and Clarke-Salter on 29 matches a-piece.

Clarke-Salter would have had more outings if he could have stayed fit for the entirety of the season, and he quite clearly made an impression as according to The Sun, clubs like Leeds United and PSV Eindhoven are tracking his services.

The 24-year-old is out of contract at Chelsea this summer and finally looks destined to depart Stamford Bridge, but will Coventry be put off by the strength of the other teams linked?

They shouldn't be - it's merely speculation at this point and Clarke-Salter should be offered the chance of some stability in his career after being farmed out on loan to multiple outfits.

Coventry may end up being beaten by a bigger club in the race for the centre-back's services, but Robins must make a move for Clarke-Salter, depending on how the club's finances are looking.