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Coventry set to seal £5m+ deal against Rivarly Teams
Coventry City are in a healthy position at the moment, but they need to continue evolving if they are to reach the Premier League.
Having previously experienced success with a back three, they have played with a back four at times this term and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them stick with the latter for the next season or two.
They have players who can operate in plenty of roles – and that should allow Mark Robins to switch systems when he needs to.
Right now, Robins has an excellent squad at his disposal, even after the summer departures of Viktor Gyokeres and Gus Hamer.
This is because owner Doug King has been willing to invest, with the Sky Blues’ summer signings reinforcing his commitment to making the club a real success.
| Coventry City – 2023/24 Summer Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Haji Wright | Antalyaspor | Permanent |
| Ellis Simms | Everton | Permanent |
| Liam Kitching | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Milan van Ewijk | Heerenveen | Permanent |
| Bobby Thomas | Burnley | Permanent |
| Tatsuhiro Sakamoto | KV Oostende | Permanent |
| Brad Collins | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Jay Dasilva | Bristol City | Permanent |
| Joel Latibeaudiere | Swansea City | Permanent |
| Yasin Ayari | Brighton | Loan |
| Luis Binks | Bologna | Loan |
Simms and Wright were big-money signings, but King’s willingness to be sensible and cash in on valuable players made these moves possible, and they also used this sale revenue to recruit Ephron Mason-Clark from Peterborough United in January.
He was loaned back to Darren Ferguson’s side in January but could be a very good addition when he comes in during the summer window.
How Ephron Mason-Clark fits in at Coventry City
Mason-Clark can play centrally and that could be important if Callum O’Hare departs and the Sky Blues operate with a 3-4-1-2 system.
However, he mainly plays as a left winger and is probably being brought in to play in that role, with this area previously needing to be addressed.
If Coventry are to play in a back-four system, they need two wingers who can make a real difference.
O’Hare can play out wide, but he is just as effective centrally and there are no guarantees that he will be at the Coventry Building Society Arena next term, with his contract expiring in the summer.
Having Mason-Clark on the left and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto on the right, when the latter returns to fitness, could be brilliant for Coventry, who will still want to be extremely effective in the final third if O’Hare leaves.
Coventry City’s decision to sign Ephron Mason-Clark could haunt other clubs
The 24-year-old has been simply superb this season.
Scoring and assisting for fun, the winger has played a big part for Posh this term and has even been captain on a number of occasions.
That can only be a good thing for Coventry, who could be a real leader in the dressing room when he returns to the CBS Arena in the summer.
With the experienced Kyle McFadzean recently leaving for Blackburn Rovers, his leadership could be required.
And at 24, Mason-Clark should only get better, which will terrify many Championship full-backs who will come up against him.
His likely improvements in the coming years will only raise his valuation, which should mean that Coventry are able to make a profit on the reported £5m+ they forked out on him.
This is a key reason why other clubs may be regretting the fact they missed out on him, with the Sky Blues wise to get a deal wrapped up early before the summer.
