Coventry City questioned for top-flight transfer chase - 'maybe Frank Lampard isn't having much of a say' | OneFootball

FLW's Coventry City Fan Pundit has urged the Sky Blues to avoid a deal for striker Lassine Sinayoko in the closing days of the transfer window.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Coventry City have been busy in the January transfer window, and Frank Lampard is looking to add to his squad once more as deadline day closes in.

The Sky Blues started the campaign incredibly, but a difficult run of form over the course of the last couple of months has seen the likes of Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough gain ground on the league leaders.

With just three points separating Boro and the West Midlands outfit heading into this weekend's Championship fixtures, Lampard will be hoping that his side can put a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Norwich City on Monday night behind him with victory over QPR.

Coventry won 7-1 in the reverse fixture, but goals have not been as easy to come by in recent weeks and the club are reportedly showing an interest in Auxerre striker Lassine Sinayoko.

Coventry City told to avoid deal for Lassine Sinayoko

Pete O'Rourke has reported that the Sky Blues are one of three English sides interested in the forward, with Middlesbrough and Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers also targeting him.

However, Boro's interest is not as concrete, leaving the two West Midlands clubs to battle it out. But, when asked if the Championship leaders should make a move for the 26-year-old, Football League World's Coventry Fan Pundit, Chris Deez, said: "I really don't understand this one at all.

"I've been critical of our strikers throughout the course of this season, especially Haji Wright and how lazy he is, but Ellis Simms has turned things around and turned me into a fan, turned me into a Simms believer. Sinayoko, I'm not going to pretend that I've ever heard of him before, but I’ve looked him up. He's scored around 25 league goals for Auxerre in over 150 games.

"First of all, why on earth are we looking at another attacker? We've got like five or six wingers in the squad, and then we've got Simms and Wright up front. We've just signed the new lad Markelo from Zurich, who's had a much better last couple of seasons than Sinayoko has, and we're already asking questions about where Markelo is going to fit into the team.

"So, unless we've got a couple of outgoings, unless we're selling Haji, I don't really understand this one. We've been screaming out for a central midfielder, and it seems like we might be getting that sorted and over the line in the next couple of days."

Chris continued: "We’re also screaming out for a centre-back and a left-back, but somebody at the club just keeps wanting us to buy attacking players. I don't know if maybe Lampard doesn't have any faith in our defence anymore, and he's thinking, let's just get back to battering teams. If we can outscore them, we'll be fine. We don't have to worry about the defending or about the midfield gaps.

"It just doesn't make sense. It makes me think maybe Lampard isn't having as much of a say in transfers as he'd like to be. Maybe this is a Dean Austin and a Doug King thing and they're just signing players that they want for the future to sell on for a quick buck in the future. I don't know. It's the only thing I can think of to explain it, because it just doesn't really make any sense.

"For as misfiring as Wright and Simms have been this season, their stats and what they've given to us in their general play and what they contribute throughout a match other than just goals has been fantastic. Far, far better than what Sinayoko has on paper given to Auxerre. So, I'm completely bewildered."

Lassine Sinayoko has not been clinical throughout his career

At 26, Sinayoko is entering his prime and at this point in his career, many would expect a player that is being scouted by a top side like Coventry to have had multiple double-digit seasons in terms of goal output.

However, he has not done that for Auxerre's first team, with his best scoring campaign coming in 2023/24. He found the back of the net eight times while registering five assists in 34 league games as his side won promotion to Ligue Un.

But, he has struggled in the top flight. He scored just five goals last season, and while he did contribute with nine assists, there should be cause for concern as to how many times he is firing the ball in himself.

Lampard must not work his way into a bidding war for Sinayoko, and that money could be spent better elsewhere as Coventry go in search of promotion to the Premier League.