"Matt Grimes" - Coventry City and a Ben Sheaf succession plan | OneFootball

FLW discusses possible Ben Sheaf replacements for Coventry City if the influential midfielder does move on this summer.

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Coventry City are once again gearing up for a massive summer as they look to build a team that is capable of winning promotion to the Premier League.

Mark Robins’ side were a penalty shootout away from the top-flight in 2023 when they lost to Luton, and that defeat had ramifications, as influential duo Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres moved on.

Nevertheless, some shrewd recruitment meant the Sky Blues were still in a position to enjoy a positive campaign last time out, and whilst they couldn’t replicate a top six finish, it was a memorable season.

That’s because they reached an FA Cup semi-final and came within inches of pulling off arguably one of the biggest shocks of all time against Man Utd.

Ben Sheaf is attracting transfer interest

Yet, failure to go up means another summer of change could be on the cards, and it’s been reported that Ben Sheaf has plenty of admirers.

The midfielder is a class act at this level, and his performances have caught the attention of clubs higher up, including Fulham and Ipswich Town.

Coventry wouldn’t want to sell, but every player has a price, and the club will cash in if his valuation is met. Replacing Sheaf would be difficult, but there are some quality midfield operators out there.

Potential Ben Sheaf replacements for Coventry City

So, if they are in a position where they need to find a new option, who should the Midlands outfit go for? Here our writers share their thoughts…

Chris Gallagher

I think they should take a look at Matt Grimes.

It certainly wouldn’t be an easy deal to do, as Swansea would be desperate to keep hold of the midfielder, as he is a fantastic player at this level, and someone who is integral to what Luke Williams is trying to build at the Welsh club.

It’s also worth noting that there’s no indication he would want to leave, as Grimes has been linked with a move away in the past, but he remained loyal to the Swans and still has years to run on his contract.

However, it’s one that Coventry should explore, because he boasts many similar qualities to Sheaf in the way that he can control the ball, sets the tempo and can dictate play from a midfield role.

Clearly, a big fee would be required, but if Sheaf did depart, he would be an ideal replacement, and he also adds leadership quality to the group.

Promotion has to be the aim for Coventry, so whilst you could argue that they may find better value abroad, they would need a player who can make an instant impact, which Grimes would do.

At 28, Grimes will know that he may not get many more opportunities to return to the Premier League, so a switch to Coventry may appeal, as they have shown under Mark Robins that they can compete for a play-off spot at least.

Alfie Burns

It's worth saying that losing Sheaf this summer would be a big blow for Coventry City and their chances of competing for the play-offs again next season. From the outside looking in, retaining a player of the midfielder's quality would be a real sign of intent from the Sky Blues and say to the rest of the Championship that they mean business.

That's easier said than done, though, and your gut-feeling is that Robins might lose his key cog to the Premier League this summer.

In terms of replacing him, it might be someone like Marko Stamenic, who has already been linked with a move to the CBS Arena. The 22-year-old plays a very similar role to Sheaf and has picked up plenty of experience in his short career so far.

Jack Rudoni has arrived at Coventry for a reported £5m. Whilst he's probably seen as a slightly more attack-minded midfielder than Sheaf, he might actually be better suited to a deeper role in central midfield if Robins continues with a wing-back system that offers his midfield plenty of protection.

Rudoni only has 15 goal contributions from two seasons in an attacking midfield role at Huddersfield Town and isn't exactly prolific in the final third. Sitting him a touch deeper would allow him to influence the game with his tireless running. He's different to Sheaf, but could be something a bit different in the engine room.