Coventry City locked in Crystal Palace transfer talks for explosive player | OneFootball

Coventry City have held talks with Crystal Palace over a loan deal for Romain Esse.

Coventry City have been in talks with Crystal Palace over the loan signing of Romain Esse as the club bid to bolster Frank Lampard's squad for the second-half of the 2025/26 season.

The Championship leaders, Coventry, are on track to return to the Premier League for the first time since the early 2000s, but look like leaving no stone unturned in the January transfer window and are ready to strengthen Lampard's hand.

It's said that Lampard is "hopeful" a deal can be agreed for Esse soon, although there is other Championship interest in the winger.

Coventry City hold talks with Crystal Palace over Romain Esse

A report from John Percy on X has confirmed that Coventry have been in talks with Esse over taking Esse on loan during the second-half of the season.

They are one named club in the pursuit of the winger, but the 20-year-old has other suitors in the second-tier this January.

Despite that, it's noted that Lampard is "hopeful" of agreeing a deal soon.

Esse has made seven senior appearances for Crystal Palace so far this season, with Oliver Glasner's side competing across multiple competitions including the Europa Conference League. Esse started their most recent game in that competition - a 2-2 draw with KUPS Kuopio on December 18th.

In yesterday's 1-1 draw with Fulham in the Premier League, Esse was an 82nd minute substitute as regular minutes continue to evade him.

Romain Esse could be useful signing for Coventry City

Coventry are heavy favourites for promotion heading into 2026. They sit eight points clear at the top of the division and are nine ahead of Middlesbrough in third.

However, a relentless division can mean that leads like that are cut down, and Lampard will want his squad strengthening in the January transfer window.

A player of Esse's profile could be ideal, with the Palace man offering explosive pace in the final third, as well as the ability to play in multiple roles. He would complement what Lampard already has in attack, and it's difficult to imagine Coventry's free-scoring (55 goals in 25 games) slowing down because of his potential arrival.

There's also a case to argue that the move suits the player. Since moving from Millwall to Palace, Esse has made only 16 senior appearances. At Millwall, he racked up 66 at a very young age and, in many ways, his progress has slowed down at Palace. Therefore, diving back into the Championship is no bad thing to increase game-time, whilst playing for a manager who works well with young players in Lampard is also appealing.

That's without even mentioning the feel-good factor around Coventry right now and the potential to join a club heading to the brink of ending a 25-year wait for top-flight football to return.