Coventry City join Man City and Spurs in race to sign Sheffield Wednesday star | OneFootball

Coventry City have joined Premier League clubs in the hunt for Sheffield Wednesday's Pierce Charles this summer

Coventry City have one foot in the Premier League, with Frank Lampard on the brink of ending the Sky Blues' 25-year exodus from the top flight, and preparations in the event of promotion are well underway.

It's been a memorable year for Coventry supporters, and it could well become an unforgettable one, with the club on the verge of securing promotion back to the Premier League after a long-term absence.

Lampard's side came quickest out of the blocks and has barely slowed down, and with just five games remaining and a current 12-point gap, the CBS Arena will almost certainly be hosting top-flight football next year.

This team will go down in history should they get their noses over the line, though, as is the case with any side making the jump to the Premier League nowadays, incoming's will be needed aplenty throughout the squad.

Preparations will have already begun as to what their summer window may look like, as reports have emerged that Coventry have joined the race among several top-flight clubs for a highly-rated young goalkeeper.

Coventry City join strong competition in the race for Sheffield Wednesday's Pierce Charles

According to TEAMtalk, Coventry have joined several Premier League clubs in the race for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles, with the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Leeds United also believed to be tracking his situation.

Already a fully-fledged Northern Ireland international, Charles has been excellent for the Owls whenever called upon, and would have almost certainly made much more than his 15 league appearances this season if it weren't for a couple of long-term injuries limiting his minutes.

Still just 20-years-old, interest in Charles is unsurprising given his level of performance despite his age and Wednesday's turbulent circumstances.

Manchester City have been one of football's global powerhouses across the past decade, and Pep Guardiola's interest should not be taken lightly.

Coventry must offer Charles some incredible terms to convince him that the CBS Arena is where his long-term future lies, given the strong competition they are set to face to claim his signature this summer.

The Sky Blues will need to ensure Premier League football is a certainty before making a formal move, and in the event of that, Charles will likely not want to spend time on the bench if it can be helped, something which Man City and other Premier League clubs couldn't guarantee.

Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has tipped the young keeper for stardom following his heroics against Leicester City, limiting the Foxes to a 1-1 draw, saying: "It gives our defenders great confidence to have a fantastic goalkeeper behind them. All of our players worked so hard, but Pierce was brilliant. He will play at the top level.

It's difficult to see any world in which Charles sticks around at Hillsborough next season, as his future almost certainly lies away from the League One-bound Owls, as Coventry joins a long queue in the hunt for the in-demand youngster.

Frank Lampard should make Pierce Charles move at Coventry City if Carl Rushworth's deal falls through

There remains one obvious stumbling block in the way of Coventry actively pursuing a move for Charles, and that is the future of current goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Rushworth, according to FotMob, has prevented 7.9 expected goals this season, making him statistically the best shot-stopper in the entire division this year, so it will come as no surprise that Lampard is keen to bring him back again next campaign.

However, whilst in the event of promotion, Coventry's chances of bringing the Englishman back permanently drastically increase, they will likely face some competition for his signature from numerous other top-flight sides.

Rushworth will be the Sky Blues' number one target in goal this summer, but Charles, despite his lack of experience, would be an excellent alternative, and likely a cheaper one at that.

With Wednesday's financial issues, the Owls are not exactly in the driving seat when it comes to demanding a fee for the Northern Irishman, meaning Coventry, who are likely to see a big cash influx this summer, shouldn't struggle to match the requested fee.

Coventry will continue to track Charles' situation despite the competition, and this move is certainly one to keep an eye on this summer.