If Coventry City sign Sunderland’s Dan Neil - Jamie Allen & Josh Eccles could leave the CBS Arena | OneFootball

Two players that could leave Coventry City this summer as a result of Dan Neil joining the club

Coventry City are closing in on promotion to the Premier League under Frank Lampard.

The Sky Blues missed out on a place in the top flight through the play-offs last year, and in 2023, but are now on the verge of sealing a top two finish.

Lampard’s side are top of the Championship table with just a few games to go, with their fate firmly in their own hands in the run-in.

The likes of Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough and Millwall are chasing behind, but the club have built a comfortable gap and should be able to get over the line to end their 25-year absence from the Premier League, barring a total collapse in form.

With their sights already set on the upcoming summer transfer window, it’s been reported that the club are considering a move for Dan Neil, who has spent the campaign at rivals Ipswich on loan from Sunderland.

Here we look at two players that could leave Coventry at the end of the season as a result of Neil’s possible arrival in the team…

Josh Eccles

Josh Eccles came through the ranks of the Coventry academy system to become a regular member of the first team squad.

The 25-year-old made his debut as a teenager in August 2019, but it wasn’t until after a loan spell with Gillingham that he cemented himself in the team.

He’s made over 160 appearances in the Championship for the Sky Blues, but he has fallen down the pecking order slightly under Lampard.

The midfielder played 44 times in Mark Robins’ last full campaign in charge at the CBS Arena, and that figure dropped to 39 appearances last season.

Eccles will make even fewer appearances this term, and he has had to rely on coming on as a substitute on many occasions.

It’s debatable whether he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League, and Neil coming to the club on a permanent basis may seal his fate, with a summer exit potentially on the cards.

Eccles has a contract until June 2028, but if a reasonable offer comes in, then it might be a smart move for all parties for him to move in a bid for greater playing time.

Jamie Allen

Jamie Allen has fallen even further down the pecking order than Eccles under Lampard, with his game time being limited this season.

The midfielder has been with Coventry since they were last in League One, helping the team win the third division title in 2020 when the campaign was curtailed due to the COVID pandemic.

However, he is now 31 and his contract is expiring again in the summer after he extended his deal by 12 months last May.

He has been a great servant for the club over the years, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to make much of an impact at the CBS Arena in the Premier League.

With Neil potentially arriving on a permanent basis, he would drop even further down the pecking order and it may not be worthwhile for either party to extend his contract beyond June.

The 31-year-old could be a valuable presence at any Championship side, but he is likely to just take up a place in the squad if he stayed at Coventry.