Opinion: Coventry City should join race for Lincoln player this summer amid major defender shortage | OneFootball

Coventry City could lose star pair Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer this summer due to their contract situations, but there's perhaps other pressing concerns that need to be sorted with pre-season on the horizon.

The biggest problem position facing manager Mark Robins is in defence - as he utilises a back three he needs plenty of options there and with three of those from last season being loanees in Callum Doyle, Jonathan Panzo and Luke McNally, it leaves just the evergreen Kyle McFadzean as Michael Rose has been released as well.

There will be plenty of options on the market though with a mix of free agents, loans and options that would require a transfer fee, and even continental Europe and Scandinavia could be scoured with right wing-back target Milan van Ewijk coming from the Netherlands.

Looking closer to home though, there is a viable option that has been plying his trade in League One that could be a good fit at the CBS Arena and that is Regan Poole.

What is Regan Poole's current situation?

Poole has been at Lincoln City for the last two-and-a-half years, joining the Imps in January 2021 from MK Dons.

The Welshman won City's Player of the Season in his first full season at the club in 2021-22, and had another solid showing in 2022-23, which saw him linked with plenty of Championship clubs midway through the season.

It was announced however that after 130 appearances for the club, Poole would depart Sincil Bank at the end of the month to move on to pastures new, with a move to the second tier almost a given.

Bristol City were initially linked but that particular move was played down, but there is likely to be behind closed doors interest from plenty of clubs.

Why should Coventry sign Regan Poole?

Aside from the obvious reasoning that Coventry are lacking options in defence, Poole offers pretty useful versatility.

In his 45 league outings for Lincoln last season, the majorty came as a central defender on the right-hand side of a three, which is exactly where he would slot in under Robins for the Sky Blues.

However, he regularly featured as a right wing-back as well, which is another area that Coventry are looking to strengthen over the summer, and he's also capable of playing right-back in a back four.

His capabilities of playing as a wing-back means he is useful going forward, but his defensive skills should not be underestimated either as the stats show that he was eighth in the whole of League One for interceptions made with 74.

It's also an incredbly risk-free move to make - at the age of 25, Lincoln aren't due any form of compensation for Poole when he moves on so it would be a full free transfer for a player who will not demand mega wages, and it would allow other money to be relocated into other positions and areas of the pitch that also need strengthening.