"Absolute star" - Coventry City player tipped to reach Gus Hamer, Callum O'Hare heights | OneFootball

The playmaker has been in inspired form of late, and could top two Cov greats in terms of goalscoring contributions

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Jack Rudoni has had a massive impact at Coventry City since his summer move from Huddersfield Town, with no other Sky Blues player being involved in more goals throughout the Championship campaign.

The 24-year-old moved to the Midlands from the recently relegated Terriers during the previous off-season, with Cov reported to have paid a fee in the region of £5 million for his services.

After taking a while to get going in his new surroundings, the playmaker has proven to be an influential star under Frank Lampard, with 14 goal contributions over the course of the current campaign, as City continue in their hunt for a place in the top six.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s Coventry fan pundit Chris Deez about the former AFC Wimbledon man, and how he compares to the club’s previous great creative stars.

Jack Rudoni praised amid Gus Hamer, Callum O’Hare comparisons

Rudoni netted the opener against Preston North End last time out to help side make it three successive victories in the league, and leave them just a point outside of the play-off places with 12 league games remaining in the season.

That was his fourth league goal of the season, and the playmaker’s influence on the side has grown to new levels over recent weeks, with six contributions towards goals in his last nine outings in all competitions.

Expert deliveries from wide areas have helped Ellis Simms and Bobby Thomas get on the scoresheet in recent outings against Sheffield Wednesday and QPR respectively, while the creative midfielder’s tricky footwork and vision in the final third continue to cause Championship defences all manner of problems.

He continues to look unplayable as Lampard puts a team together that look intent on breaking into the top six within the next few weeks, and Deez is left in no two minds that he could well be one of the finest players seen at Coventry in recent seasons, despite massive competition for that spot.

When asked about the playmaker, the Sky Blues fan said: “I absolutely love Jack Rudoni, I cannot praise him enough and he has made me eat my words. I thought we spent too much money on him, considering he came from a freshly relegated Huddersfield, and hardly set the league on fire in his time there.

“He has come in, slotted into the team perfectly and gelled brilliantly with the rest of the lads. He has 15 goal contributions already, and we still have about a quarter of the season left, so I can see him getting to the 20 or 25 mark for the season.

“Gus Hamer had just over 40 goal contributions for us during his time here, and Callum O’Hare just over 50. Give Rudoni another season or two and I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t match or beat those numbers.

“Then you would have to say at that point that he has been our best attacking midfielder or playmaker over the last decade.”

Jack Rudoni valuation set as Premier League prediction made

Just 12 months on from being part of the Huddersfield Town side that dropped into the third tier, Rudoni has garnered a reputation as one of the hottest properties in the second tier, with Cov continuing their tradition of harnessing creative talent in the final third.

Following on from the likes of Hamer and O’Hare was no easy task, but the 24-year-old has proven to be as influential as either as Lampard’s charges begin to catch fire during the Championship run-in, with his quality rising to the fore from either flank.

His versatility in playing anywhere across the pitch has helped keep the momentum growing over recent weeks, with 21 points taken from a possible 24 making seeing them emerge as one of the division’s in-form teams, with only unbeaten Leeds United topping their return (22) during that time.

With plenty of eyeballs sure to be on him right now, Deez believes there could well be interest in Rudoni if promotion isn’t secured this season, although it will take a hefty eight-figure fee to lure him away from the Sky Blues if he were to leave.

He continued: “If we don’t go up this season there will be interest, there will definitely be interest. We will probably be looking around £15-20 million, mainly because he is young and English so that is obviously going to add a few million on anyway.

“I wouldn’t say he is Premier League ready, but I don’t think that would stop Sheffield United, Burnley, Leeds, Sunderland, those sorts of teams. I think they would all take a chance on him for that much money.

“I think it is similar to when Ipswich wanted Ben Sheaf. I don’t think he would have been Premier League ready, but he is the sort of player that one of the teams you might expect to be relegated from the Premier League might want for their following season rebuild, to try and get back up to the Premier League again.

“Either way, he has a huge future ahead of him and I hope he stays here for at least another couple of seasons, regardless of whether we go up, miss out on the play-offs, or whatever. He is an absolute star.”