"No offence" - Frank Lampard told to avoid Coventry City reunion with Rangers FC man also eyed by Middlesbrough, Wrexham | OneFootball

FLW's Coventry City fan pundit discussed Frank Lampard's reported interest in a reunion with ex-Derby County forward Tom Lawrence

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Coventry City head coach has been urged to resist a potential summer reunion with ex-Derby County forward Tom Lawrence, who is currently of reported interest to the Sky Blues along with the likes of Middlesbrough and ambitious League One promotion-chasers Wrexham ahead of a likely exit from Rangers.

According to Mail Sport, the Sky Blues are among a number of clubs interested in Lawrence as he nears the end of his contract with Rangers. Along with Coventry, fellow second-tier sides in Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion are all said to have an interest, while Wrexham and Olympiacos, PAOK and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Besiktas have been named as suitors, too.

It will be interesting to see exactly how Lawrence's situation unfolds over the coming months, and the Welsh international has accumulated a wealth of Championship experience throughout his career with the likes of Ipswich Town and Derby. Lawrence clocked up close to 200 appearances across a five-year stint at Pride Park, and scored six times under Lampard in the 2018/19 campaign as the Rams made it all the way to the Championship play-off final.

Lawrence, who would go on to captain Derby before leaving for Rangers in the summer of 2022, has endured a mixed stay north of the border. The winger has played 66 times for Rangers, scoring six from 25 this term, but injury problems have never rarely been too far away and he has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter at Ibrox.

Frank Lampard urged to avoid Coventry City reunion with Rangers FC's Tom Lawrence

FLW spoke to our Sky Blues fan pundit, Chris Deez, and asked whether he believes Lawrence would represent a shrewd acquisition on a free transfer, or if Coventry, who have significantly reduced the squad's average age with a more youth-centred approach to recruitment in recent times, should set their sights elsewhere instead.

Chris pointed out the potential pay packet Lawrence could demand, coupled with the competition for places in Lampard's squad and the existing degree of experience in a fundamentally youthful squad, as key reasons why he believes Coventry should look away from the Rangers attacker.

"I've got to be honest, and no offence to Tom Lawrence himself, but I'm not exactly blown away by this rumour," Chris told FLW.

"He was a very good player for Derby four or five seasons ago, back when he was in his mid to late twenties. But he's 31 now, he's barely played for Rangers, the vast majority of his appearances there - especially this season - have been off the bench.

"He's had quite a few injury problems, he's getting on a little bit. It's always good to have experience around the squad but we've recently signed Matt Grimes and he's approaching 30, we've got Jamie Paterson, so we have that experience to mix in with the youth already.

"Lawrence, as good a player as he was for Derby, I don't think he gets near our starting eleven if we keep players, especially if Ben Sheaf gets back to full fitness and can get his consistency back.

"So as much as I liked Lawrence in the past, I think he would probably be an expensive benchwarmer or squad player. I'd imagine he would be towards the higher end of our top earners.

"Again, no offence to him or the teams around the lower-half of the table, but I think he would probably suit a team like a Plymouth, Stoke or a Hull, that sort of team that needs a bit of a boost.

Frank Lampard has superior options to Rangers FC's Tom Lawrence at Coventry City

Coventry have one of the more talented squads in the Championship, with a number of high-performing and high-potential assets currently occupying attacking positions which would likely see Lawrence struggle to get into Lampard's starting side in the event of a move.

Lawrence, who is most frequently used as an attacking midfielder these days, has versatility to his advantage.

But Coventry have another positionally-flexible operator in Jack Rudoni, more-than-capable of playing centrally, with the ex-Huddersfield Town man also able to play out wide, deeper in midfield or even as a wing-back, and the 23-year-old star is perhaps his side's single most valuable long-term asset.

On the flanks, meanwhile, Lawrence would face stiff competition from the likes of Ephron Mason-Clarke, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Haji Wright, when Lampard decides to play the USA international wide-left as opposed to through the middle.

Lawrence could indeed offer solid strength in depth, but it would be much more sustainable long-term to consider targets to potentially be eased into those positions to succeed the likes of Rudoni and Wright if and when they leave the CBS Arena instead of the Manchester United academy product, who may only regress in the months and years to come.