2Tim Iroegbunam
The announcement that club captain Liam Kelly will leave the club on the expiry of his contract this summer will have come as little surprise because the former key man appeared just 16 times in the Championship this season.
Although that’s less than a former regular would like to appear, there is still a role to be played there, and the gap left by Kelly will need to be filled.
One budding Premier League youngster who could be capable of the task is Tim Iroegbunam.
The 20-year-old spent the 2022/23 season on loan with a struggling Queens Park Rangers side, making 32 appearances during that time and impressing enough to warrant the Hoops exploring the possibility of bringing him back towards the end of 2023, according to journalist Darren Witcoop.
| Iroegbunam’s season with QPR, as per WhoScored | |
|---|---|
| Starts (Sub) | 28(4) |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Tackles per 90 | 2 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 0.8 |
| Pass success rate | 78.7% |
Iroegbunam is a defensively-minded midfielder in the same way that Kelly was, and would be able to stake a claim for the void that the 34-year-old has left.
Witcoop, in his December 2023 report, stated that Villa would prefer to shift the England U20 international on permanently if possible, but the club would likely still be open to a loan deal to drum up interest.
The Villa to Coventry loan path has worked wonders for Sky Blues’ midfield before; the same route that O’Hare took before making the switch permanent and becoming a star player at the CBS. Iroegbunam could be the next in line.
3George Earthy
It is now O’Hare that could be about to leave space in the attacking portion of the Coventry midfield, with his contract saga having still not reached a conclusion, and one Premier League youngster who could come in for a season to bridge that gap is George Earthy.
The West Ham United academy product has only ever been part of the Hammers’ setup, and he got his first taste of senior football this season with cameos against Freiburg, Fulham, and Luton Town.
It’s been a productive start, netting a goal with just 27 first-team minutes to his name.
His strong potential has brought him into the senior fold this season, but with the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse all vying to play in similar areas, chances for Earthy next season are still going to be slim.
It is clear he has outgrown academy football and minutes on the pitch will now be key to his development. The potential departure of O’Hare would leave Earthy the space to make the position his own for the season and, as his early promise has shown, the Sky Blues will be getting a bright, young, attack-minded midfielder, and one who has risen through a top academy system, to bolster their attacking numbers.
Were the Hammers not so stacked in this position, Earthy would likely be ready to start building his name in the Premier League. Coventry could swoop in and use that situation to their advantage to recruit a top-level O’Hare replacement for the season.
