Coventry City issue emerges with Norman Bassette exit | OneFootball

The two teams were in talks over a temporary deal that would see the young forward move to The Netherlands.

Norman Bassette's proposed move to Dutch side FC Utrecht is currently at a standstill due to Coventry City's demands being "too high."

The young Belgian, while he has shown some promising signs since he arrived at the CBS Arena, is at the bottom of the striker pecking order. Bassette was sparsely used in pre-season and has not featured in either of Coventry's two games this season.

This can at least partially be put down to the interest that clubs in Europe were showing in him, with Utrecht being the ones at the front of the queue.

Journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who comes from the same country as the 20-year-old, reported that talks were being held between the Eredivisie side and Frank Lampard's team over a loan deal for Bassette, with an option to buy him at the end of it also set to be included. Belgian side Standard Liege were also said to be keeping an eye on the forward.

Norman Bassette's loan move away from Coventry City now hanging in the balance

This proposed switch to The Netherlands now appears to be less likely. Tavolieri has said that Utrecht's deal for Bassette has been "blocked" by Coventry because the buy-option price that the Sky Blues want is said to be "too high" for them.

City paid French side Caen roughly between £2-3 million for the striker last summer before he went on to make 25 appearances for the club in the Championship.

Lampard confirmed following his side's opening day 0-0 draw with Hull City that the Belgian's absence from his 20-man squad was not fitness-related, and added that he wasn't sure if Bassette would be on the move to another club, as per Coventry Live.

"I have to pick the squad," said the former Chelsea midfielder on his team selection decisions. "There was no Justin (Obikwu) and no Kai (Andrews). I pick the squad on training, on the level of training and how hard you work and how you are every day, and the quality.

"Quality is the first thing but then the level of training is the second thing, or alongside it. I have to pick a squad on that – I’m talking generally here."

Coventry should try and facilitate a loan move for Norman Bassette

With Brandon Thomas-Asante the preferred number nine, and initial £3.5 million signing Ellis Simms behind him, it's tough to see how the 20-year-old will find his way back into Lampard's side before the end of the window.

A loan move would be best for him and for Coventry. It would give him more of a chance to develop his game, and it would also free up some wages for the Sky Blues to use on any remaining moves that they want to make over the next two weeks, or so, before the summer window shuts.