How Coventry City need to react if Ben Sheaf transfer offers are submitted
The 28th of November marked the beginning of a new era for Coventry City as Frank Lampard was appointed the head coach at the CBS Arena.
Having seen the controversial departure of Mark Robins earlier this month, City unveiled the former Chelsea manager as their new head coach on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
Currently, the Sky Blues are languishing in 17th place, with only four wins from their opening 17 games. Just two points above the relegation zone, Lampard’s immediate priority will be steering the team to safety as they bid to secure their sixth successive season in the division.
However, following that, he will need to carefully assess the squad, making key decisions on who to keep and who to let go in order to streamline the team and strengthen it for the second half of the season.
One player he can’t afford to let depart is Ben Sheaf. The 26-year-old was a huge part of Mark Robins’ tenure at the club and has turned into possibly the most important player at the club.
If he continues this form under Lampard, then Coventry must resist the temptation to sell him as at the heart of the team he could be the future difference in a promotion hunt.
Sheaf’s statistics point to a Premier League player
Looking at his performances, Sheaf has delivered exceptional displays, with average ratings above 7.28 across his three full seasons at the club since signing a permanent contract.
The former Arsenal man’s performance in the 2023-24 season highlights his status as one of the top defensive midfielders in the division. His average of 2.08 tackles won per game and 7.61 recoveries per 90 minutes places him in the top six percent of Championship midfielders. His duels won are equally impressive, with 6.91 won per game, seeing him finish in the top 11 percentile for that particular figure.
Outside of this, he is an incredibly competent passer of the ball, featuring in the top 20% of almost all passing statistics relative to a defensive-minded midfielder.
While he hasn’t hit quite the same heights on the metrics this season, he is still incredibly close to the figures and, under Lampard, could find himself surpassing what he produced in recent years.
This season he has also assumed the role of club captain, following the departure of Liam Kelly, and has frequently showed his emotional intelligence and understanding of the game by baring the brunt of the media post-match.
This affirms the need for a strict stance regarding a potential transfer if teams arrive for his signature in January, as not only does he deliver on the pitch, but he is a big character for them off it.
Lampard must have strict Ben Sheaf stance
Unsurprisingly, his ability to persistently deliver for Coventry has attracted interest from elsewhere.
The 26-year-old admitted last month that teams were keen during the summer, with Fulham and Ipswich among those reported to be interested. Luton Town were another club named as potential suitors, while there were also surprise links to Manchester United.
That interest could potentially be renewed in January and with just 18 months left on his contract, the Sky Blues aren’t brilliantly positioned heading into the new year.
However, this shouldn’t perturb them from strictly refusing any middling offers as Sheaf is just too important to leave for a minimal fee.
If a top-tier club wants to sign the defensive midfielder, then Doug King must force them to pay well in excess of his market value.
FLW’s Sky Blues pundit suggested a minimum valuation of £20 million, which seems on the larger side but is viable if they are only interested in retaining Sheaf.
Ben Sheaf needs his contract situation resolved
Having been such a key player for Robins, you can only see the midfielder continuing that form under Lampard. While ultimately different questions will be asked of him, he seems the sort of player who will quickly adapt and change his style to suit the ex-England international.
If he is up to the task, then Lampard should be urging King to offer the Coventry captain a brand-new deal at the CBS Arena.
However, concerns will come in the form of previous comments. Speaking earlier this campaign, Mark Robins admitted that Sheaf has desires to play Premier League football and with City languishing in 17th, it is highly unlikely that will arrive until at least 2026.
For this reason, retaining him for the long term will be a tough challenge, but offering an improved contract with a competitive weekly wage could be enough to persuade him to stay.
Having given them a strong four years of service, he deserves the opportunity to play at a higher level, but Coventry fans will be hoping that this opportunity comes while he’s still with them.
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