Viktor Gyokeres deal could ease the wheels for another Coventry City exit: View | OneFootball

Viktor Gyokeres is thriving in Portugal after his move to Sporting CP, and another Coventry City man could be set to join him in the near future.

Sky Blues defender Joel Latibeaudiere has been linked with a shock move to the Portuguese giants, and the Lisbon-based outfit could strike again by taking a player from the CBS Arena.

Clearly, Sporting have been so impressed with Gyokeres that they realise there could be more hidden gems in the Championship, and after dealing with the Sky Blues in the past, it could speed up any further potential deals in the future.

Whilst this is great for Sporting, Coventry supporters will rightfully be worried that any of their players that impress could be lined up for a move to Portugal, with a move to a club of Sporting's stature probably appealing to most Championship players.

Latibeaudiere joined Coventry City from Swansea City in the summer of 2023 after his three-year deal with the Swans expired.

The Jamaica international has impressed for the Sky Blues, and his versatility makes him a huge asset to any side as he is able to play in central defence, at full-back and in midfield too.

With that in mind, there's no wonder Sporting are interested in him, with Dutch giants Ajax - who explored the EFL market last summer by signing Chuba Akpom - also credited with an interest.

Latibeaudiere is a model professional, and despite only being a 24-year-old, he's a player with an old head on young shoulders, and has even captained the side at times this season despite only joining the club in the summer.

Whilst the ex-Manchester City youth product possibly doesn't possess the raw talent of someone like Gyokeres, his mentality, desire to work hard, leadership abilities and versatility mean that he's someone who would be a valuable addition to most squads.

During his time at Swansea, Russell Martin spoke about the unseen work that Latibeaudiere does, telling BBC Sport "He does amazing things for us and sometimes probably goes unnoticed."

Swansea's loss has certainly been Coventry's gain this season, and everyone at the club will surely be hoping that they can keep hold of Latibeaudiere for a little while longer yet.

Sporting Lisbon paying attention to Coventry's players is obviously a huge compliment to the work that Mark Robins has done in recent years and the club's talent identification, but it's certainly not something they'll want too much of, as a club of Sporting's stature could quite easily turn the heads of players.

Striker Viktor Gyokeres has been a huge success in Portugal so far, and Sporting are probably thinking they can repeat the trick again with other Coventry City players.

Whilst it was obvious that Gyokeres was a huge talent at the Sky Blues, no one could have envisaged just how successful he'd be in Portugal.

This means that Sporting's scouts are more-than likely looking for other Cov players who are hidden gems and may not attract attention from the top English clubs, but are capable of playing in the Primeira Liga and European competitions.

Whilst moves to clubs like Sporting means that Coventry make huge profits on players, they won't want to sell too many of their talents, especially someone like Latibeaudiere who has only been at the club for one season.

After a good first season in the Midlands, Mark Robins and everyone at Coventry City will be hoping that Latibeaudiere remains at the Sky Blues for at least another season.

It's been a meteoric rise for Coventry City in the last few seasons, and it shows how far they've come that clubs like Ajax and Sporting want their players.