"I'd be very shocked" - Exclusive: Don Goodman drops Jack Rudoni transfer claim to Coventry City and Frank Lampard | OneFootball

Don Goodman has given his verdict on whether Coventry City could sell star midfielder Jack Rudoni this summer.

Pundit Don Goodman admits he would be surprised to see Coventry City sell star midfielder Jack Rudoni this summer.

After scoring five goals and providing three assists in 36 games for Huddersfield Town in the 2023-24 season as they were relegated from the Championship, Rudoni made the move to Coventry last summer in a deal that was initially claimed to be worth up to £10 million, but it was later revealed the Midlands outfit only paid a fee of between £3.6 million and £3.8 million plus add-ons.

Like many of his team-mates, Rudoni made a slow start to last season, with the Sky Blues' poor form resulting in the sacking of long-serving manager Mark Robins in November, but the 24-year-old improved significantly after the arrival of Frank Lampard.

Coventry sat as low as 15th in the table in early January before surging up the table in the second half of the season to secure a fifth-placed finish, with Rudoni playing a crucial role in their impressive run, but the campaign ended in disappointment for Lampard's men as they were knocked out of the play-offs at the semi-final stage by Sunderland.

The Daily Mail claimed in May that Newcastle United had sent scouts to watch Rudoni in action on a number of occasions last season as they weighed up a potential move for the midfielder, but thankfully for the Sky Blues, there have been no further developments since then.

Don Goodman sends Jack Rudoni transfer warning to Coventry City

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman revealed that he was surprised by how influential Rudoni was for Coventry last season, and he admitted he would be shocked to see the Sky Blues cash in on him this summer, particularly given their promotion aspirations.

"24-year-old Jack Rudoni was certainly more of a key player last season than I think anybody could possibly have predicted," Goodman said.

"He got double figures in both goals and assists and had a huge influence on Coventry's recovery.

"He was doing well under Mark Robins, but the minute Frank Lampard got there, he seemed to kick on to a different level.

"He came up with some really important goals and assists, and his performances in big games shows you the mentality of him.

"I like him very much as a player, and I do think Coventry are very ambitious for this season, so I'd be very shocked if they allowed him to leave."

Coventry City must avoid Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare repeat with Jack Rudoni

Coventry have a track record of losing some of their key players in the summer transfer window, with Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres departing in 2023 and Callum O'Hare rejecting the offer of a new contract last year before joining Sheffield United.

Rudoni may not yet be at the level of those three players, but there is no doubt that his importance to the Sky Blues is increasing, and as Goodman said, he often delivered in the biggest games last season, including the final day victory over Middlesbrough that booked the club's place in the play-offs and the semi-final first leg against Sunderland.

Coventry will be relieved that Newcastle do not look set to step up their interest in Rudoni this summer, but there is still a chance that they could receive bids for the midfielder before the end of the window, and if that was to happen, owner Doug King must make it clear that he is not for sale.