Coventry City should plot move for ex-Leeds United striker | OneFootball

Coventry City should be ready to pounce should Real Mallorca cut short the loan deal of Leeds United man Mateo Joseph.

Coventry City have enjoyed a magnificent start to the season and the Sky Blues have now left themselves in a position where they can be opportunistic in the winter transfer window to try and push themselves over the line if they continue with their form.

After a reasonably quiet summer transfer window in terms of incomings, there is room for Coventry to maneuver in the winter market and the possibility of bringing Mateo Joseph back to England should be one they keep an eye on.

Coventry are the only team still unbeaten in the second-tier, heading into the October international break at the top-of-the-table after three successive victories in which they scored 12 and conceded none against Birmingham City, Millwall and then Sheffield Wednesday.

Under the management of Frank Lampard, Coventry missed out on promotion in the play-off semi-finals last season but they appear determined to ensure they do not require the luck of the end of season lottery this time around.

Their squad was refined over the summer, particularly defensively, and key men such as Milan van Ewijk and Jack Rudoni eventually stayed at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

It remains a squad that can still yet be even further boosted by smart signings in the winter and one opportunity that could present itself to them could be the signing of Mateo Joseph.

Mateo Joseph enduring a difficult time of it at Real Mallorca

Following Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League last season, Mateo Joseph appeared to be a surprisingly inevitable departure with initial links to West Ham United.

The former England youth international, who now represents Spain at U21 level, instead eventually joined La Liga outfit Real Mallorca on a season-long loan deal.

The Balearic Islanders had been steadily progressing in Spain’s top-flight and there was a view that, under the management of former Osasuna boss Jago Arrasate, they could push on for a top seven or eight finish and European qualification this season.

It has been a nightmare start to the campaign for the Majorcans, though, with one victory so far and they sit rock-bottom in La Liga with the pressure growing on Arrasate, amid off-field squabbles, most notably his dispute with former club captain Dani Rodriguez.

Despite Dani Rodriguez’ banishment from the playing squad, fellow attacking midfielder Joseph has still found it immensely difficult to make any sort of headway into the Mallorca side.

The 21-year-old did provide an assist last time out in a 2-1 loss to Athletic Club at San Mames but he was again forced to come off the bench with just four starts for the struggling outfit.

Struggling to get into a team that is so poor at the moment is not a good sign for Joseph and it is expected that, even though Arrasate remains in situ for the time being, the islanders won’t be far off some major changes and a much-needed revamp.

That could include a bit of an exodus and a squad overhaul in the winter transfer window, and a loanee not getting minutes being sent back to his parent club is an easy place to start with their re-jig.

Should that indeed occur, the Championship league leaders Coventry should seek to position themselves to be at the front of the queue to bring the Spaniard back to the EFL.

Mateo Joseph and Coventry appear the perfect fit

Mateo Joseph is a player who has shown immense potential but couldn’t quite become a regular starter for a title-winning team in Leeds at Elland Road last season.

That is a completely reasonable position for an academy graduate to be in but he did appear to try and rush his development to push for more guaranteed minutes this year – at the expense of arriving in the best environment.

He needs the time and the space to be able to truly flourish for another upwardly mobile side and the squad and setup at Coventry surely represents the best place for him to go.

Frank Lampard has become known for a slick style of football and that is again the way in which Coventry are playing with an interchangeable attacking quartet in a 4-2-3-1 system.

The aforementioned Rudoni is out injured and so Lampard is remaining flexible with who occupies the so-called ‘number ten’ spot at the moment, with Brandon Thomas-Asante most recently flourishing for City in that role.

One criticism of Joseph would be that his best position has not yet been identified but his versatility to play across the attack is always a gift for any side – and especially one in the mould of Coventry, who play with such exuberance and creativity, both in mindset and with their style.

Whether it be out-wide, deeper, up-front or as the attacking midfielder; the way in which Coventry play means there will always be a door open for Joseph to force his way into the side and propelling

Coventry back to the top-flight could be the ideal landing spot for him to reignite and really kickstart his career once again.

A few things out of the control of Coventry would have to happen but should things align, they should absolutely be aware and be plotting to make an ambitious swoop for the attacker.