FLW discuss recent reports regarding Coventry City’s stance on Callum O’Hare departing this month
With Callum O’Hare having just six months left on his contract at Coventry City, the January transfer window was always going to bring about plenty of speculation over his future.
Many clubs have been credited with an interest, with the likes of Burnley, Southampton and Leicester City having recently been reported to have made offers for the player this month.
Coventry City set to reject O’Hare offers
However, more recent reports have now set the Sky Blues’ stance on their star man clear this month – he is going nowhere.
According to Football Insider, Mark Robins’ side are set to resist all offers for the 25-year-old although he could walk away for nothing in the summer.
The report claims that their Sky Blues sources have told them that a potential promotion to the Premier League is considered more valuable than any fee that the club could get for the player this month, hence their current stance.
O’Hare has been in fine form for the club since returning from injury, registering five goals and one assist in just eight league starts this season to date.
Coventry City right to stand firm on Callum O’Hare
With the above in mind, it begs the question, are the Sky Blues right to take such a stance on O’Hare when there is a very real possibility that he could depart.
From comments made by Sky Blues boss Mark Robins we know that the club have made O’Hare a strong contract offer, and the player is yet to sign.
It is, therefore, arguably a big risk for the Sky Blues to keep him and potentially miss out on a big transfer fee.
One of our writers, below, though, feels that is risk very much worth taking.
Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson
First of all, I think Coventry City’s biggest problem is allowing things to get to this stage.
Perhaps things were not helped by O’Hare’s injury, but having moved Gyokeres and Hamer on in the summer, you would think that the club would have really pushed for O’Hare to ink a new deal.
Now, they may well feel they have done so, but I’m talking about putting an offer to him that he simply couldn’t turn down.
Regardless, it is now January and whilst the whole situation is a mess, I do think Coventry City are right to stand firm and reject any O’Hare advances this month because at this stage.
Recently, the club have hit fine form in the division, and with O’Hare being integrated back into the side in recent weeks, too, the club are looking very strong contenders for a play-off spot.
There is no doubt that whilst cashing in on O’Hare could result in some cash, it would seriously damage the club’s chances of a top six spot, and indeed their chances of winning the play-offs themselves.
Financially, then, I think Coventry are just going to have to accept whatever comes in terms of O’Hare’s contract decision, potentially taking a big financial hit on the chin, in the hope that they go on to secure promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
If they don’t, O’Hare will almost certainly leave, but having let things get to this stage, I think it’s a risk worth taking.
| Callum O’Hare’s 2023/24 Championship statistics, as per FOTMOB | |
|---|---|
| Matches | 15 |
| Starts | 8 |
| Goals | 5 |
| xG | 2.32 |
| Assists | 1 |
| xA | 1.03 |
| Pass accuracy % (per 90) | 86.5% |
| Chances created (per 90) | 2.05 |
| Touches (per 90) | 63.75 |
| Touches in the opposition box (per 90) | 4.86 |
| Stats correct as of 27/01/24 | |
Ben Wignall
Coventry did not get to this position with their other two prized assets from last season in the form of Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres, so they are in dangerous new ground here.
With little chance of the pair signing new deals with one year remaining, the Sky Blues cashed in on them for big money, allowing Mark Robins to reinvest in half of a new squad, and when O’Hare returned from his injury, he’s clicked with those new faces instantly.
The fact of the matter is though, every Championship club with no parachute payments to help them should be selling for the right price, and with less than six months on his contract, Coventry would be powerless to stop him moving overseas right now for nothing.
One of the other alternatives though is strengthening a bitter rival such as Leicester City right now, and if they came in with a bid for O’Hare and it was accepted then there would probably be anger from the fans.
However, should a team like Burnley – or a similar a Premier League club – come in for the midfield maestro or make another offer, then Coventry should really consider it if it’s over the £6 million mark as they could re-invest that into other players either now or in the summer.