Coventry could be about to sign ex-Man United star who Frank Lampard says is 'top-level'
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard may take the opportunity to sign former favourite Donny van de Beek as he looks to leave Girona this summer.
The Sky Blues are just days away from returning to the Premier League under Lampard after 25 long years away.
He led his side to the Championship title last season, and they have worked hard to get their squad in an even better place to take on the top flight.
More additions are expected at the CBS Arena before the summer deadline passes, with another new midfielder believed to be on the agenda.
The stars may have aligned for Lampard to reunite with Dutch midfielder Van de Beek, after the pair shared a close relationship during their short spell working together at Everton.
He is looking to leave Girona after an injury-hit campaign and would be a quality addition for a cut-price fee for Coventry as they aim to avoid relegation.
Frank Lampard may push to agree Donny van de Beek deal after Girona reveal
Van de Beek's career has not gone how many would have expected it to while he was key to Ajax's iconic Champions League run in 2018-19.
He emerged as one of the most highly-rated midfielders in Europe around that time, earning a £35million move to Man United in 2020.
Van de Beek struggled with form and fitness in his four years at Old Trafford, but did leave a big impression on Lampard during a loan spell at Everton in 2021-22.
The pair arrived at Goodison Park on the exact same day at the end of January in 2022, and Lampard made it clear that he was a huge fan of the Dutchman even though injuries again restricted his game time.
Speaking after he was signed alongside Dele Alli, Lampard said: "I just look at the player and the person and I had conversations with them both. They're both very, very talented players. I've come up against them in the past and was very impressed with them."
Van de Beek starred in his first start for the club against Leeds on 18 February, as the Toffees boss then said: "I knew Donny as a player from the outside and I brought him here because of his talent in terms of his play, his intelligence and his work ethic. He's a technical player but he matched the other players for work ethic. He gave us a sense of calm and he linked the play.
"He looked confident on the ball and that's exactly what I brought him here to do. I think he can do different roles and that's the beauty [of him] and why I moved so quickly to try and get him when I came in. I'm a big admirer of him as a player."
Lampard continued to heap praise on the United loanee before injury concerns hit, as he also said: "When I think back to the time he has had at Manchester United, he’s a top-level player. He was when Manchester United signed him and he was at Ajax. It’s not easy. There are different ways of reacting and I’m sure it was tough. Now hopefully he has a chance to show his quality on a regular basis and I hope so too.”
It is pretty clear to see what the Coventry manager thinks of Van de Beek, who is now pushing to leave Girona to play at a higher level than the Spanish second tier, according to journalist Charlie Gordon.
The Dutchman impressed for Girona in 2024-25, appearing regularly in their maiden Champions League campaign, and his injury issues and prolonged absence greatly contributed to their downfall last season.
There is clearly a player in there that Lampard feels like he can unlock, and at 29-years-old, a move to the CBS Arena may well appeal to all parties if he can prove his fitness.
Van de Beek chose Everton because of Lampard
Transfer plans are ramping up at Coventry, with sources telling Football Insider that Lampard is keen on signing Angel Gomes after his loan spell at Wolves.
Van de Beek is a similar profile to the England international, so he could genuinely be of interest to the Sky Blues if a deal makes sense to complete.
The 29-year-old would surely look to join Coventry, after admitting when he joined Everton that Lampard was a big part of his choice to head to Merseyside rather than Crystal Palace.
He said: “I had a really positive meeting with the new coach. We have the same ideas about football and he had a lot of influence on my decision.
“I played against him when I was at Ajax, and he was at Chelsea [as manager], so he knows me as a player. I can learn a lot from him because he was a little bit in the same position – a midfield player who scored a lot of goals."