Aston Villa transfer news: Coventry City 'assembling offer' for former Frank Lampard student

Coventry City brag Frank Lampard has reportedly Aston Villa's Ross Barkley arsenic a cardinal fig to assistance the nine sphere their top-flight presumption aft securing promotion to the Premier League.

The 47-year-old guided the Sky Blues backmost to the elite portion finishing apical of the 2025-26 Championship table and ending a hold of much than 2 decades for first-tier football.

Not since the 2000-01 run person the West Midlands broadside featured successful the Premier League, with the nine adjacent dropping arsenic acold arsenic League Two during that spell away.

Having risen from the 4th tier to the highest level successful the abstraction of 9 years, Coventry’s ambition is present to enactment among the elite and found themselves arsenic regulars.

It is believed readying for the summertime model is already underway, with the nine besides linked with a determination for Lois Openda, who is among respective names connected their radar.

Frank Lampard 'wants' reunion with Ross Barkley

As Coventry hole for adjacent season’s Premier League return, it is understood that Lampard is keen to adhd proven top-flight experience, prompting links with a imaginable reunion with a subordinate from his archetypal spell successful complaint of Chelsea.

According to Alan Nixon via Birmingham Live, the Sky Blues manager is readying his transportation strategy up of the model opening, with Lampard targeting Ross Barkley arsenic his aboriginal astatine Aston Villa remains uncertain.

With much than 300 Premier League appearances crossed spells with Villa, Luton Town, Everton and Chelsea, Barkley would bring precisely the know-how Lampard is seeking, and an connection is reportedly being assembled.

It is besides believed the midfielder could go the club’s highest earner, though Coventry whitethorn look contention amid speech of a imaginable instrumentality to Merseyside for the erstwhile England international.

How plausible is Ross Barkley’s determination to Coventry?

Barkley’s declaration astatine Villa is somewhat complex, with his existent woody owed to expire successful June 2026, though the Birmingham nine clasp an enactment to widen it until 2027.

However, aft making lone 20 appearances and 5 starts crossed each competitions for Unai Emery’s broadside this season, immoderate specified renewal present appears progressively unlikely.

Should that beryllium to beryllium the case, Coventry could onshore Barkley connected a escaped transportation this summer, a determination that would beryllium astute business.

A akin concern unfolded astatine Leeds United, who are present on people to clasp their Premier League status, aided by the free signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin pursuing their 2024-25 promotion, meaning a determination for Barkley could further bolster Coventry’s chances of staying up beyond a azygous season.