Mark Robins must be shocked by one thing Coventry City are doing right now | OneFootball

Stoke City could be subject to a Sky Blue transfer raid this summer, and fans may be shocked at who they're rumoured to be targetting.

Coventry City are already looking forward to strengthening in preparation for the Premier League, but one of their rumoured targets may be a surprise to the player's current manager.

With the EFL Championship already wrapped up, Coventry City can start looking to the future. Promotion to the Premier League is a huge challenge for a club that hasn't previously played there in a quarter of a century, but the example of Sunderland over the course of this season has demonstrated that the right recruitment can result in a season that far out-strips pre-season expectations.

As such, the end of the season means no letting up for the Sky Blues, and Coventry have already been linked with a host of players as they start what will be a crucial rebuild ahead of their return to the top flight. But the identity of one player that they could be looking at will be a surprise, not least to that player's current manager.

Coventry City interest in Million Manhoef is a big surprise

Reporting from TeamTalk has indicated that one player under serious consideration at Coventry City as this season draws to a close is the Dutch winger Million Manhoef, who's been playing for Stoke City since signing for them from Vitesse Arnhem in January 2024. Manhoef has been a regular in the Stoke team over the last two and a half seasons.

But Coventry are not alone in their interest in the 24-year-old. The TeamTalk report confirms that there is also interest in Manhoef from Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are just setting out on the opposite journey to Coventry from the Premier League to the Championship, and from the Dutch giants Ajax, who are in fourth place in the Eredivisie following a disappointing season, but are still playing for a potential spot in next season's Champions League.

The TeamTalk report suggests that Manhoef is viewed as a "strong stylistic fit" for Ajax, who could be poised to lose wonderkid winger Mika Godts this summer amid interest from a clutch of leading continental sides.

However, a potential transfer race could take place for Manhoef's services in the coming weeks and months as interest continues to grow, which may leave Robins surprised at the actions of his former club in Coventry.

Manhoef has struggled for consistency at Stoke this season

The TeamTalk report on Ajax's interest in Million Manhoef states that Manhoef could be a "strong stylistic fit" for them, but the reality is that, while the player is undeniably talented, there have been issues with his consistency at Stoke City over the course of this season.

The statistics seem to bear this out. Manhoef has put in a number of at best mediocre performances over the closing weeks of this season, although he is capable of playing a starring role, as he demonstrated in the middle March, when Stoke beat Watford 3-1 at The Bet365 Stadium. Manhoef scored twice in that match, putting in a Man of the Match performance before being withdrawn with 11 minutes to play.

But it's clear from looking at those 2025-26 statistics that this sort of performance has been the exception rather than the rule for Manhoef, as Stoke's general form has declined since around the end of November.

Manhoef is clearly a very talented player and, having made almost 100 appearances for the club since his arrival, there are no concerns over him on the injury front. He's been capped by the Netherlands at under-16, under-17 and under-21 level, and the interest of Ajax is confirmation that there's clearly something about him.

The Premier League is an unforgiving environment, and talent alone often isn't enough to survive it. Consistency matters, and the level to which he'd be expected to step up at Coventry City next season is one of the highest in the world. Mark Robins may well want to keep hold of the winger this summer, but he might also be surprised at clubs queuing to take such an interest in him when his performances have been patchy in the Championship this season.

That inconsistency, coupled with the size of his wage - £12,500-a-week, according to Capology estimates - and the fact that Manhoef will be entering the last year of his contract at The Bet365 Stadium this summer, might make cashing in on him now the best option for Stoke City. Whether he's the right choice for Coventry City is a different question altogether.