The Sky Blues struggled to start the season after losing top players Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer in the summer, and they were defeated by Luton Town in the previous season’s play-off final on penalties.
Early in November, Coventry’s position in the rankings was as low as 20, but since then, they have had an incredible run of form that has made them a strong candidate for the top six.
The Sky Blues’ 10-game league unbeaten streak came to an end on Saturday when they lost 2-1 to Norwich City. However, on Tuesday night at the CBS Arena, they defeated Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 to resume their winning ways in the FA Cup fourth round replay.
The team led by Mark Robins is now one point out of the play-off spots in seventh position in the standings. They will play again on Sunday when they host Millwall.
The Sky Blues’ recent run of success has been largely down to midfielder Callum O’Hare, but with his contract expiring at the end of the current campaign, the club may be at risk of losing him in the summer.
Latest on Callum O’Hare’s Coventry City future
Reporter Tom Collomosse of the Daily Mail stated last month that O’Hare was being watched by Leicester City, Southampton, Burnley, and La Liga teams. Although Coventry’s commitment to the team was not challenged in January, he will be free to depart in the summer if he doesn’t pledge his future to it.
Although Robins acknowledged that O’Hare had received a new contract offer from the Sky Blues, he acknowledged that he has no control on the midfielder’s future.
“Look, everyone is aware that Callum isn’t under contract, and there has been a lot of conjecture about him. Until he makes a public announcement, this speculation will persist. In actuality, though, he has received an offer for a contract—and a pretty nice one at that. That’s all I have to say about it; in the end, he is free to decide what’s best for his future,” Robins told Coventry Live.
Coventry’s owner Doug King needs to try to persuade O’Hare to sign an extension, even if the team’s primary objective right now is getting into the playoffs.
Coventry City must secure Callum O’Hare contract agreement
After a protracted absence due to a significant knee injury, O’Hare was cleared to play in October. Since then, he has excelled, making 19 appearances while dishing up two assists and nine goals.
The 25-year-old demonstrated his value to the team once more during the midweek cup victory over Wednesday, scoring two goals and providing an assist. The Sky Blues’ chances of making the playoffs will depend heavily on his play between now and the end of the season.
Gyokeres and Hamer’s exits from Coventry in the summer was a tremendous blow, and it appeared like the Sky Blues would suffer a great deal as a result. However, with O’Hare back, Robins’ team has found their offensive danger again.
The key to Coventry’s ascent up the table has been O’Hare’s outstanding goal return, but his inventiveness has also helped to bring out the best in players like Ellis Simms, Haji Wright, and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.
It’s safe to say that O’Hare has emerged as the Sky Blues’ finest player in recent months. Although the team did a great job bringing in new players this summer, it would be very challenging to replace him should he decide to go.
O’Hare’s departure would require further adaptation time at the beginning of the following season, potentially resulting in another sluggish start. His loss would be equally as significant as that of Gyokeres and Hamer.
Getting O’Hare to sign an extension guarantees that the Sky Blues will receive compensation when he ultimately leaves the team. It would be extremely upsetting for Coventry to lose a player of O’Hare’s calibre for nothing, especially as the club might legitimately demand in excess of £10 million for his services.
At the end of the campaign, speculation over O’Hare’s future can prove to be an unwanted distraction, so King needs to work quickly to come to an agreement with his top player.
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