Coventry transfer chiefs run rule over EFL duo, ‘eyewatering offers’ to be accepted
Championship leaders Coventry City have scouted Cardiff City youngsters Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio as a whole host of clubs register their interest in the highly-rated duo.
Coventry are on their way back to the Premier League under Frank Lampard right now, as they lead the Championship by six points with 19 games left to play.
A 2-1 win over Midlands rivals Leicester City on Saturday saw them record a first victory in five attempts, as Haji Wright’s late winner got them back on track at the top of the table.
Lampard has already delved into the transfer market this month, with Romain Esse joining Coventry on loan from Crystal Palace, alongside Tottenham winger Min-hyeok Yang.
The club’s chiefs are likely planning to make more additions to Lampard’s ranks before the 2 February deadline, with long-term plans also in place for if they reach the Premier League this year.
Coventry have scouted Lawlor and Kpakio but face strong competition and big transfer fees
Cardiff City were relegated to League One last season, and they currently sit top of the third tier as an immediate return to the Championship beckons.
Welsh international duo Lawlor and Kpakio have been integral to their success so far this season, with 24 and 27 appearances in all competitions respectively.
According to a new report from WalesOnline, Coventry scouts were in attendance to watch the centre-back and full-back in the Bluebirds’ 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic on 4 January.
They are set to face tough competition for either player if they wish to make a move for their services, however, with three Premier League clubs, two other Championship sides and three MLS teams all interested in Lawlor.
Man United, Everton and Brentford are all believed to have taken a close look at Kpakio, with the latter still believed to have him on their radar, but Cardiff have insisted that neither youngster is for sale this month unless an “eyewatering offer” arrives.
What has Brian Barry-Murphy said about Lawlor’s Cardiff future?
While Kpakio is certainly highly-rated, the sheer number of clubs that are reportedly tracking Lawlor is testament to his potential to be a top centre-back in the years to come.
Bayern Munich are one of the sides that has been linked to the 20-year-old ahead of January [talkSPORT], but Bluebirds boss Barry-Murphy has insisted that the Welsh capital is the best place for a player of his stature right now.
When asked about that rumour in a press conference last month, he said: “He loves playing for the club. I think the biggest thing that we can give him is an opportunity to play first-team football.
“Some of these young players go to clubs like you’re referencing (Bayern) and obviously go on different journeys. That means they don’t play for the first team for a prolonged period.
“The biggest thing we can give him is working every single day on the things that he needs to improve the most – and he gets a chance to play alongside Calum Chambers, Will Fish, Gabriel Osho, all those guys.”
Lawlor has clearly benefitted from the ample game time handed to him in the third tier, and Coventry are set to have a tough task on their hands to prise either him or Kpakio to the CBS Arena soon.