BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: David Brooks of Bournemouth in the of Bournemouth in the home dressing room before of Bournemouth in the home tunnel before the Carabao Cup Third Round match between AFC Bournemouth and Stoke City at Vitality Stadium on September 27, 2023 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Coventry City: How Ben Sheaf’s transfer value has changed according to AI
FLW examines how Coventry City midfielder Ben Sheaf’s xTV value has changed since he joined the club
With Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry City for big fees in the summer, 2023/24 represents an opportunity for other members of Mark Robins’ squad to take the spotlight.
Ben Sheaf has been a consistent performer for the Sky Blues over the past few seasons and the early weeks of the new campaign suggested it was likely to be no different as the holding midfielder proved a vital cog once again.
A groin injury in training sees the 25-year-old sidelined at the moment but when he’s back, he will likely recapture his place in the side and return to controlling things for them in the centre of the park.
Sheaf, an Arsenal academy product, has flown under the radar a little in terms of interest from elsewhere but he’s certainly highly rated by Coventry – as the new three-year contract he signed in the summer proves.
But what is the midfielder worth in the current market? We’ve turned to AI to examine just that as we assess how his value has changed according to Football Transfers’ expected transfer value (xTV).
What is Football Transfers’ expected transfer value (xTV)?
Created by Football Transfers and data analytics company SciSports, xTV is an AI-powered figure that uses a machine-learning model trained on around 600,000 historical transfers to identify patterns in the market and the fees paid.
A wide range of information is used to calculate the estimated figure, including player age, position, current and projected performance, experience, league and team strength, and contract situation, to ensure it best reflects the value of the player. The database, which is updated monthly, includes more than 240,000 players across 250 leagues.
At any one time, a player’s xTV is usually available as both a range and a single figure.
What is Ben Sheaf’s current transfer value as per xTV?
The Coventry midfielder’s current xTV is €3.5 million (£3m) while his xTV range is €2.6m (£2.2m) to €4.4m (£3.8m).
That is the highest it has been in Sheaf’s career to date, which is no huge surprise given he’s established himself as a key player at the Sky Blues and put pen to paper on a three-year deal in the summer.
How has Ben Sheaf’s transfer value changed as per xTV?
Sheaf’s xTV climbed steadily after he joined Coventry from the Gunners for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2021 – rising to €2.5m (£2.2m) in March 2022.
It dipped slightly in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, falling to €2m (£1.7m) in the summer of 2022, but returned to €2.5m (£2.2m) by February 2023.
The midfielder’s xTV jumped up significantly to €3.4m (£3m) in the summer when he committed his future to the Sky Blues and has climbed again to €3.5m (£3m) in the early months of the current campaign.
Sheaf is approaching his prime as a player and if he can continue to produce at the level he’s shown over the past 12 months then it would be no surprise to see further increases.
That said, you feel that after the departures of Hamer and Gyokeres in the summer, it would take more than £3m to prize him away from Coventry in the January transfer window.
