Coventry City ‘keen’ on Dane with promotion ambitions and knack of scoring against Sky Blues
Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive as the Sky Blues are linked with interested in signing Championship striker set to be available on a free transfer this summer
Preston North End’s Emil Riis Jakobsen scores to give his side victory over Coventry City at Deepdale last October
Coventry City are claimed to be competing with Championship promotion rivals Sheffield United for the services of Danish striker Emil Riis who has been thorn in the Sky Blues’ side for the last four seasons.
The 26-year-old is available on a free transfer this summer when his contract with Preston North End expires, and Sky Sports are reporting that the centre-forward is a target for the Sky Blues.
A mobile number 9 with a powerful shot, Riis has scored against Coventry in each of the last four Championship campaigns, scoring the winner on three occasions (twice at Deepdale and once at the CBS) while also notching in the first minute of North End’s 3-0 victory in the West Midlands in February 2024.
According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, who posted on social media platform X, where he has almost 47k followers: “Sheffield United and Coventry City are among a number of Championship clubs keen on Preston North End striker Emil Riis Jakobsen.
“The 26-year-old is out of contract soon and it’s understood he’d prefer to join a club with ambitions to gain promotion to the Premier League.”
City have clear ambitions of stepping up to the top flight and have gone close twice in the last three years with play-off campaigns, while the Blades lost out to Sunderland in this year’s Championship play-off final last month.
Riis spent four-and-a-half years at Deepdale after signing from Randers FC for a reported £1.2million. He suffered a serious knee injury in January 2023 and missed almost one year of football, but left the Lilywhites with an impressive record of 58 goal contributions in 186 appearances.
He’s been linked with Sheffield United before, and Blades boss Chris Wilder made a move for Riis during his Middlesbrough tenure. Boro reportedly made a bid of £7.5million for the striker in the summer of 2022. Sunderland have also previously been credited with interest in Riis.
Speculation around a potential move to the Bundesliga has swirled since it was confirmed Riis would be leaving PNE. After the final game of last season, which saw Preston survive in the second tier, the Dane implied he was at the stage of wanting to test himself higher.
Speaking after the 2-2 draw at Bristol City, in which Riis scored the opening goal, he told the Lancashire Post: “It’s been great. I have enjoyed my time here. I came to England and just wanted to play in the Championship. I think I’ve shown that I can do that now.”
