Coventry City developments will be bittersweet for Notts County: View | OneFootball

Coventry City have had a great 2024 so far that has seen them mount a top-six push after taking their time in getting over the play-off final defeat last season.

The Sky Blues were a penalty shootout away from Premier League football in May, but were defeated by Luton Town.

Suffering from a hangover of sorts, Mark Robins’ side only won three of their opening 16 games in the Championship, which was surprising, to say the least.

They had sold Viktor Gyokeres in the summer to Sporting Lisbon, which was a massive blow but was expected. Gus Hamer also departed for Sheffield United and the Premier League, perhaps explaining why that slow start had occurred, with the pair so crucial last year.

But in 2024, Coventry have significantly improved, as have their replacements for Gyokeres - Haji Wright and Ellis Simms.

Notts County, who will want to keep hold of their star striker Macaulay Langstaff.

Simms and Wright are now in form

It was always going to be a hard task to replace Gyokeres’ goals, but they used the money they received from that sale to bring in two strikers, signing Simms from Everton and Wright from Turkish side Antalyaspor.

Both players struggled at first, with Wright scoring just once in his opening ten games, whilst Simms scored just three times in 2023. But since the turn of the year, both strikers have been instrumental behind their push for the play-offs and run into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Wright has now scored 15 goals in the league, whilst Simms has scored 13 as the Sky Blues now find themselves in the play-off hunt. Simms in particular has been in great form lately, scoring 14 goals in his last 12 games across all competitions.

Manager Robins has even challenged both of them to reach 20 goals each by the end of the season, saying: “There are enough games in the season for them to do that and I think that’s a realistic target for them both. It’s there for them.

“Their team-mates are creating chances for them. They are being positive. Hopefully, we can keep doing the same and keep getting them into good positions to give them opportunities to score.

“There is friendly rivalry between them (Simms and Wright). It is good to see and the confidence is there.”

Langstaff could still catch Coventry's eye in the future

Seeing Coventry’s strikers do well will be bittersweet for County. Coventry were previously linked with signing their striker, Macaulay Langstaff, in the January transfer window.

The 27-year-old has been a prolific goalscorer in Nottinghamshire since arriving in the summer of 2022. He finished top scorer in the National League as they were promoted to League Two, and has continued his form into the fourth tier this season.

So seeing that both Simms and Wright are doing so well will at first come as great news to Notts, as it means that that Coventry may not feel they need to go back in for Langstaff with their strikers doing so well.

On the other hand, though, Notts could see it as bad news as Wright and Simms’ form could attract the attention of bigger clubs, with the Sky Blues open to dealing on high-profile deals like this, which we saw with Gyokeres. If they were then to leave, Coventry would need a replacement, and they could then turn back to Langstaff, confident of landing his services.

Whilst there have been no concrete rumours regarding Wright and Simms as of yet, you would think Premier League clubs will be keeping an eye on the two of them ahead of the summer, as Coventry eye an FA Cup final and play-off berth in what remains of 2023/24.