Competition hots up for £5m Coventry City transfer target
Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive as another Championship club is claimed to be competing for the services of Aston Villa full-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden
Competition appears to be hotting up for Coventry City transfer ‘target’ from Aston Villa this summer – defender Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
Recently relegated Southampton have already been reported as interested in the 22-year-old full-back following claims by The Sun that say the Sky Blues have “prepared a £5m bid” for the player at a time when Villa need to raise funds to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR). And now City’s fellow Championship rivals Middlesbrough have been linked with interest in the highly-rated Villa Park product.
Transfer specialist Graeme Bailey told EFL Analysis that Middlesbrough and Southampton are keen on the player who has “got a bit of interest” but added: “I’m not saying he’s not heading to Coventry by any stretch of the imagination. But he’s got a few Championship options on the table.
“We know Southampton and Middlesbrough are losing full-backs so that makes sense. But there are about three or four teams in the Championship who like him.”
Frank Lampard is are actively looking to recruit a right-back, first and foremost to compete with Milan van Ewijk, who has been the club’s only specialist in that position all season.
Kesler-Hayden, 22, spent last season on loan at Preston North End, scoring two goals and registering three assists in 44 appearances in an impressive campaign that saw him make a clean sweep of the Lilywhites’ end of season presentation when he won Player of the Year, Players’ Player and Young Play of the Year.
The Villa prospect is a former England youth international and captain of early age groups at his club, and has played 134 senior games, including three in the Premier League.
The Birmingham-born player has enjoyed a progressive development plan that started in League Two and progressed to League One and the Championship in loan spells at Swindon Town, MK Dons, Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle prior to Preston.
The Southampton Daily Echo reported recently that Saints will look to sign a right-back amid the impending departure of Kyle Walker-Peters, and have been linked with Sturm Graz’s Max Johnston. Birmingham World has claimed that relegated Saints have joined the Sky Blues in the race to sign Kesler-Hayden, while Preston also want to keep their player of the season.
The report adds that Villa see the defender as a top-end Championship or lower Premier League player and value him at around £8million. The Sun, however, reported last month (May) that Coventry have prepared a £5million bid for Kesler-Hayden, with Villa needing to raise funds.
The Villans are at risk of breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules and have until June 30 to get themselves in the clear. Kesler-Hayden signed a new contract at Villa Park last summer, although the length of his update deal was not specified by the club.
