Darren Huckerby drops big 'cheap as chips' claim on Coventry City star Matt Grimes | OneFootball

Darren Huckerby believes Coventry City's Matt Grimes is the best defensive midfielder in the league as he praised the club for bringing him in.

Darren Huckerby has heaped praise on Coventry City’s Matt Grimes, who he claims is the best defensive midfielder in the Championship.

The Sky Blues made a move to sign the Swansea skipper in January, with Grimes joining the Midlands outfit for a fee in the region of £3.5m - £4m.

With Grimes having proven himself in the second tier over the years with the Swans, it looked like a shrewd addition for Coventry, and that proved to be the case, as the midfielder immediately settled into Frank Lampard’s side.

Darren Huckerby praises Coventry City for bargain Matt Grimes transfer

Like most of his teammates, Grimes has also stood out in the current campaign, with his quality on the ball and positional play key to the way that the team plays.

Those performances brought appreciation from Coventry fans on social media, as they highlighted Grimes for his contribution since his arrival.

Former player Huckerby was among those to join in the discussion about Grimes, as he explained how highly he rates the player - and he also recognised those at the club that managed to seal the transfer for such a relatively low fee.

“Best holding midfielder in the league, called it when Cov signed him, cheap as chips too!," Huckerby wrote.

Grimes has been ever-present for Coventry in the Championship so far this season and has taken on the captaincy role from Ben Sheaf - with that coming less than a year into his Sky Blues career, such is his influence both on the pitch and inside the dressing room.

Matt Grimes is going to play a huge role in Coventry City’s promotion push

There won’t be many who disagree with Huckerby’s assessment here, as Grimes has been a brilliant signing for Coventry, and to get him for such a low fee was outstanding business.

In truth, it came as no surprise, as Grimes had been very good for Swansea, so the Sky Blues knew they were getting a player who understands exactly what the Championship is about.

Nevertheless, Lampard will still be delighted at how Grimes has adapted to his new surroundings, and it’s clear the manager has real trust in the player, who is a leader for this side as well.

To their credit, it’s not the only smart transfer that Coventry have done in recent windows, so Lampard and the recruitment team deserve plenty of praise, as they have built a formidable squad by Championship standards, and they all buy into what the manager wants and understand his methods.

That has been evident in the opening 12 games of the season, with Coventry unbeaten and leading the way.

Of course, there is a lot of football still to be played, but Lampard’s men have not only got some superb results, but they have a defined style, a good balance and Grimes is among a host of individuals who are hitting high levels every game.