What Frank Lampard has said about Jack Rudoni at Coventry City as Southampton plot move | OneFootball

Frank Lampard has spoken out about midfielder Jack Rudoni's future at Coventry City amid interest from Southampton.

Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard has admitted he has not asked for any assurances from owner Doug King that midfielder Jack Rudoni will not be sold this summer amid speculation linking him with Southampton.

Rudoni joined Coventry from Huddersfield Town last summer in a deal that was initially claimed to be worth up to £10 million, but it was later revealed that the club only paid a fee of between £3.6 million and £3.8 million plus add-ons for his services.

The 24-year-old enjoyed an outstanding debut season at the CBS Arena as he scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions to help the Sky Blues reach the play-offs, but after missing out on promotion, the Midlands outfit could be vulnerable to losing him this summer.

It was claimed earlier in the summer that Premier League side Newcastle United had scouted Rudoni during the course of last season as they weighed up a potential move, but while the Magpies' interest appears to have cooled, Coventry's Championship promotion rivals Southampton are keen on the midfielder.

The Sun journalist Jack Rosser reported earlier this week that the Saints had a bid rejected by the Sky Blues as it fell "well below" their asking price, but that does not seem to have deterred the South Coast outfit as The Telegraph's Mike McGrath claims that the two clubs are in talks over a possible deal.

It is unclear exactly how much Southampton's first offer was worth, but as FLW exclusively revealed, Coventry have slapped a £15 million price tag on Rudoni's head as they look to fend off interest in one of their prized assets.

Frank Lampard speaks out on Jack Rudoni, Southampton speculation

Speaking ahead of his side's trip to Derby County on Saturday, Lampard insisted that he had not sought any assurances from King over Rudoni's future, and he claimed it would be difficult for the Coventry chief to provide such guarantees at this stage of the transfer window.

"I haven’t specifically asked that question because this is football, you know, and we are Coventry," Lampard told Coventry Live.

"We want to do the best and my job is to try and push the best players, coach them well and if we can bring in better players, it helps us to move forwards. I think that’s clear.

"That’s not just me talking, that’s in general. But I don’t ask for those assurances because, at the end of the day, I understand how a club works and the position a club works under.

"I have worked for quite a few owners now and I respect their position. I want to keep the best players, for sure, because I know that makes my job... not easier, but we want to have success and they’re crucial to it.

"So I think we’re all in that same position but I think to ask for absolute assurances on any player as a manager, I don’t think...

"You’ve only got to look at the mobility of the market. Everywhere in the Championship this year it heats up through the last two weeks, and in the Premier League. So I think that the old days of asking for absolute assurances when there was less mobility, they’re not here anymore."

When asked if he could confirm if there had been any bids for Rudoni, Lampard replied: "No, I’m not able to (say). I just want to keep my best players and that’s it."

Southampton could face double Coventry City hurdle in Jack Rudoni pursuit

While Lampard is right that things can change quickly in the transfer market, Coventry supporters may be concerned that he was unable to rule out Rudoni's exit before the end of the window.

However, given that the Sky Blues have ambitions of reaching the Premier League, they will surely be reluctant to sell Rudoni to one of their main promotion rivals in Southampton, particularly with limited time left in the window to bring in a replacement.

The Saints do have vast financial resources, and their budget could be boosted further over the coming weeks by the sales of the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Tyler Dibling, but Coventry's £15 million valuation of Rudoni could be another stumbling block for Will Still's side.