Coventry City urged to duck move for Ipswich Town's Luke Woolfenden for "much, much better option" | OneFootball

The Tractor Boys rejected an initial offer from the Sky Blues for Woolfenden.

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 had a bid rejected for Ipswich Town centre-back Luke Woolfenden.

An attempt to rebuff Frank Lampard's defensive unit by bringing in the 26-year-old was turned down, as per journalist Ben Jacobs.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has said that the club has no plans to let Woolfenden leave this summer, with Stoke City and Watford also said to be interested in him.

Other options are out there for Coventry. They had offers for Hull City's Charlie Hughes turned down earlier in the summer, and they have also been linked with Maccabi Tel Aviv's Tyrese Asante, as have Ipswich.

Coventry told to avoid Luke Woolfenden transfer and to pivot to Dutch option

Football League World's Coventry City fan pundit, Chris Deez, would much rather see his side go down the international route to add depth in defence, rather than letting the likes of the Tractor Boys charge an extortionate fee for one of their own.

On the links with the Ipswich defender, Deez said: "I like Woolfenden, he's a good player - [a] good, solid, strong centre-back. Exactly what we need.

"Good age, only 26, but we're in a position at the minute where teams are overpricing their players - their defenders, especially - because they recognise how desperately we need defensive reinforcements.

"Woolfenden has played for Ipswich for his entire career, apart from a couple of short loans. He didn't play much for them in the Premier League last season. I think he's more than likely going to play a fair bit more now back in the Championship, but saying that, he's been on the bench for the first couple of games of the new season. So who knows?

"Ipswich are saying that they don't want to sell him. That might just be to drive his price up. Honestly, I'm more interested in a potential move for Tyrese Asante, the young lad from Maccabi Tel Aviv.

"He's played with Milan van Ewijk for Holland's Under-21s. The fee that I saw floated around was like £2.5-3 million, so basically what we got back from selling Luis Binks. I think he'd be a much, much better option.

"He's only 23. He's only going to cost a few million. He's playing the full 90 minutes for Tel Aviv, who have brilliant defensive stats at the minute. Very few goals conceded over 36 games last season.

"So, yeah, as much as I think Woolfenden would be a good signing, we need to stop letting teams hold us to ransom and just look elsewhere.

"There's not long left of the window, so we've got to get moving."

Coventry should take abroad route to finding defensive reinforcements

More and more clubs are starting to take advantage of the international market, especially in the Championship.

Coventry, themselves, are a prime example of it, with some of their star players, like Van Ewijk and Haji Wright joining the club from teams outside of these shores.

There is a lot of value to be had around the globe. The same level of talent, although it is not often pre-proven in England, can be obtained for a smaller price than if you were to get it from a team that is in the EFL or the Premier League.

In this situation, with what Coventry would have to pay to convince Ipswich to sell Woolfenden, Lampard should be looking abroad to boost his defensive options.

Capable of playing right-back and in central defence, Asante would provide the Sky Blues boss with a versatile option who is still very much ascending given his age.

The Dutch youth international could provide some real quality depth at the back, and perhaps develop into a player that could be sold on for big profits in the future.