- Coventry City’s recruitment strategy has been key to their rise in the English game, as evidenced by the success of signings like Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer.
- Victor Torp, the club’s latest recruit, has made an immediate impact and could become the next big sale if he continues to impress.
- The recent sales of Gyokeres and Hamer have helped Coventry financially and brought them back to a level they haven’t seen in years, with exciting times ahead for the club.
Victor Torp could further elevate Coventry City’s stature in the English game, which has skyrocketed in the last 18 months due to some incredible hiring in the Championship.
Naturally, there is ample documentation of the Sky Blues’ ascent through the leagues at the beginning of the century. They had players in the lower divisions of the English football league such as Callum Wilson, James Maddison, and others, but they couldn’t get back to the Championship for eight years until they did in 2019–20.
To become an established second-tier side, they focused heavily on recruitment of lesser-known names with huge potential – and struck gold with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer. The duo combined last year to send the Sky Blues to the Championship play-off final where they unfortunately lost to Luton Town at Wembley, but they both departed in the summer for fees to the tune of £20 million and £15 million respectively – outstanding sums for this level. And with the club looking to do so again in the future, the development of Victor Torp could see him become the next big sale.
Victor Torp Coventry City career to date
Torp came into the team at the end of January after joining the Sky Blues during the January transfer window for a reported £2.1 million from Danish team Sarpsborg.
The central midfielder has already contributed one assist in four league games, and after the Dutchman left to pursue greater opportunities in the Premier League during the summer transfer window, he appears to be the perfect Hamer replacement. At just 24, Torp has plenty of time to develop and possibly go after a larger fee. As the creative lynchpin in the deeper part of the midfield, he already looks at home in the West Midlands.
Ben Sheaf’s injury has given Torp the opportunity to shine, but it also shows that a team aiming for promotion is developing and that having a deeper squad will help them stay away from inconsistent midfield play.
A crucial illustration of Coventry’s model is Torp. The midfielder, who was signed for a comparatively small fee despite having a virtually unknown profile, is expected to draw interest from teams with large budgets if he continues his stellar debut at the CBS Arena.
Coventry City’s recent transfer business
Before the sales of Gyokeres and Hamer, Coventry’s record sales all fell in and around the turn of the century. Top talents such as Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy and John Hartson all plied their trade for the Sky Blues but the evident tumble down the divisions saw the club fail to recoup any decent sort of fee for their crop of stars.
That has changed with the sales of Gyokeres and Hamer. Coventry are now finally starting to get back to where they were on a financial and playing level after a two-decade-long stretch of agony, and that is evidenced when looking at the fees they have brought in over the years.
It’s exciting times in the West Midlands right now, with players like Torp and summer additions like Milan van Ewijk, Ellis Simms, and current star Callum O’Hare.
How Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer have fared since leaving Coventry City
Both Gyokeres and Hamer’s careers have taken different turns since they left in the summer, despite the fees they brought in.
For the Swede, the trip has been amazing. Gyokeres has established himself as Sporting Lisbon’s top goalscorer. His team is currently tied for first place in the Portuguese top division with Benfica, but they still have a game remaining to get ahead of their neighbours. It seems inevitable that he will make a significant move away from the Jose Alvalade Stadium after recording 28 goals and 11 assists in just 30 games for the team. Chelsea is among the teams that have expressed interest in signing him.
But it appears that Hamer will be making a comeback to the Championship. With just 13 points from 24 games, Sheffield United is currently bottom of the Premier League. It will likely take a tremendous turnaround in the Blades’ performance to survive, and Hamer may decide to leave or remain at Bramall Lane to signal an instant return to the lower division.
You cannot ignore Hamer’s accomplishment of playing in the top division; Torp may soon follow in his footsteps.
Leave a Reply