Birmingham City will be looking at Coventry City transfer agreement with major envy | OneFootball

Birmingham City missed out on Brentford's Frank Onyeka in January, with the midfielder starring for Coventry as they close in on promotion.

The January transfer window is always a critical one in the battle to reach the Premier League, and it was no different this season.

The difficulties of signing players mid-season are well known. In many cases, clubs don’t want to lose key men, and, if they do sell, they know they hold the power when it comes to negotiations.

As a result, many clubs are often competing for the same players in the winter window, but even then, any deal is attached with risk, as you need the new recruit to hit the ground running in a different environment.

However, in some cases, January business can make all the difference, and when you look at Coventry City, it’s hard not to feel they have been transformed by the loan signing of Frank Onyeka from Brentford.

Frank Onyeka has made an instant impact at Coventry City

Prior to the arrival of the powerful midfielder, the Sky Blues had won just two of their seven games, and they then failed to beat Oxford after Onyeka had joined, where he was an unused substitute.

So, it was a very difficult period for Frank Lampard’s side, and there was a sense that they were vulnerable in the promotion race as the pressure was building and the team were struggling to cope.

That poor form prompted Lampard to put Onyeka in the XI for a huge game against Middlesbrough, and the Nigerian responded with a fantastic display that showed why Coventry were desperate to bring him in.

The 28-year-old brought energy and physicality to the middle of the park, something the Sky Blues had been lacking, and he can progress play with the ball.

Plus, his relentless ability to win possession back, and overall presence, allowed those around him to flourish, with Matt Grimes rediscovering his best form in recent weeks alongside Onyeka, with the duo forming a very strong partnership and developing a good understanding in a short space of time.

Since that eye-catching debut, Onyeka and Coventry haven’t looked back.

Obviously, it has been a team effort, but it’s no coincidence that Lampard's men have picked up 21 points from the eight games that Onyeka has featured in.

Birmingham City will regret missing out on Frank Onyeka

If signing Onyeka was a turning point for Coventry’s season, the same could be said for Birmingham.

It had been reported that Blues were firmly in the mix to sign Onyeka as well, but they ultimately missed out - and it has proven to be costly.

Chris Davies’ side were in the hunt for a play-off place earlier this year, but a run of four defeats in six games ended any realistic chance they had of reaching the top six.

Again, there’s not one single reason why Blues are struggling, but a lack of physicality in the middle of the park is certainly a factor.

It had been hoped that Jhon Solis would address that issue after he joined from Girona, and whilst the Colombian looks to have potential, he isn’t the finished article in the way Onyeka is.

Furthermore, his lack of experience in English football was always going to work against Solis, and the fact he started on the bench last time out says a lot.

As well as Solis, with Tommy Doyle not always in favour, and Paik Seung-ho and Tomoki Iwata not replicating their form from last season, it’s fair to say midfield is an issue for Blues, and Davies hasn’t found the right balance.

So, that will be something they address in the summer, and, even if Solis does stay permanently, it would be no surprise if they still targeted a midfielder who has the exact profile of Onyeka.