Coventry City: Only 5 Championship players are outperforming Jack Rudoni in key No.10 duty | OneFootball

Jack Rudoni continues to impress with Coventry City, with his creativity becoming a real feature of his game.

Jack Rudoni has proven to be more of a creative influence for Coventry City than most fans perhaps expected following his summer move from Huddersfield Town.

The 23-year-old was a revelation for Huddersfield after his 2022 move from AFC Wimbledon, but their relegation to League One was always likely to see key players depart, which Coventry have benefitted from.

Mark Robins was looking to bolster his midfield ranks this summer, which became pertinent following reveals that Callum O'Hare would reject any new contract offers to stay with the Sky Blues, amid plenty of interest in him.

O'Hare decided to let his contract run down and leave the club on a free transfer, eventually joining a potential 2024/25 promotion rival in Chris Wilder's Sheffield United. His departure on a free transfer has left a gap in midfield.

However, not only that, but O'Hare and Gus Hamer leaving the club in back-to-back summer windows has meant Cov's most creative player has departed the CBS Arena consecutively, with a huge hole then needing to be filled by Robins and co. yet again this summer.

Coventry bring in Jack Rudoni from Huddersfield

Coventry will be hoping Rudoni will help to plug the O'Hare void, albeit the midfielder is not exactly the same profile of player, despite the fact he will be occupying a similar position in the team week-to-week.

On paper, it looked like a relative bargain deal, with Nick Mashiter of the BBC reporting a figure far lower than the initial reports of between £5 and £10 million. The initial fee for Rudoni will be around £3.6 million - £3.8 million with a "few add-ons".

However, the overall figure won’t reach as much as £5 million. Given the reveal regarding the fee, it appears Coventry have a terrific deal on their hands, and he is likely to scale up in a team at a higher level in the second tier.

The system is likely to suit Rudoni very well, too, as he can and has lined up as both a traditional central midfield player, and as a number 10 behind the striker for Huddersfield last season.

The Sky Blues have been one of the more open and entertaining sides to watch in the Championship under Robins, as they've become one of the more effective counter-attacking sides in the second tier. His high intensity and box-crashing ability could see him thrive in Sky Blue.

The surprising Jack Rudoni reveal

Rudoni is not necessarily seen as a like-for-like O'Hare replacement but there are plenty of stylistic parallels to draw upon between him and the departed playmaker, both of whom possess terrific energy, dynamic ball-carrying, and plenty of athleticism both in and out of possession.

Rudoni is an energetic box-to-box midfielder who should establish himself as the heartbeat of their engine room with his intensity and pressing off the ball, while orchestrating Coventry's transitional plays through his ability to drive upfield in possession.

So far, he has played nine league games for Cov. In that time, the 23-year-old has only failed to complete 90 minutes on one occasion and has notched one goal and two assists in the process.

Getting output from midfield was always going to be a feature of his game this term but many perhaps weren't expecting the midfielder to be quite as proficient at generating chances as he has been. According to FotMob, Rudoni has created 20 chances, which is eight more than any other player in the squad.

That places him sixth in the overall league standings so far, with only Marcelino Nunez (22), Scott Twine (22), Giorgi Chakvetadze (25), Finn Azaz (26), and Alfie Doughty (29) creating more in the Championship. Of course, Rudoni is a set-piece taker for both corners and free kicks, but the figure showcases a side of his game that was seldom seen at Huddersfield.

Given his age, perhaps he is developing further strings to his bow, or indeed, he is more than met the eye in West Yorkshire. O'Hare's departure is less of a blow if he continues to be a creative hub for Robins as their progressive No.10 this season.