Coventry City to set £50k-a-week player wage benchmark in Premier League | OneFootball

Coventry City clinched promotion to the Premier League on Friday night

Coventry City sealed promotion to the Premier League on Friday night with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Bobby Thomas’ 84th minute equaliser gave the Sky Blues the scoreline they needed to confirm their place inside the top two in the Championship table.

Frank Lampard’s side reached the play-offs last season, but suffered a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Sunderland to end their hopes of a return to the top flight.

But the club are now back in the big time after a 25-year absence, with work already likely underway for how to survive in the division long-term.

Coventry can also still win the title ahead of Ipswich Town in second, with five more points needed from their final three games to secure top spot.

Lampard’s side are currently unbeaten in their last five league fixtures, drawing their last three in a row en route to automatic promotion.

Coventry City set Premier League wage budget

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Coventry have set a figure of £50,000 per week as a realistic starting point for negotiating wages for new signings this summer.

It’s expected that owner Doug King will not oversee a similar level of investment as at Sunderland, where the Black Cats spent over £150 million after winning the play-offs last year.

It’s believed that any wage offers around the £100,000 per week mark are unlikely, with around half that considered the target.

However, the club still intends to invest in the upcoming summer window, with greater athleticism being sought in midfield, and a new full-back also on their shortlist.

Lampard will no doubt be keen to strengthen for life in the Premier League, particularly as he will be out to prove himself at this level after a difficult previous spell in the division.

He initially managed Chelsea to a fourth place finish in the top flight in 2020, but he was later sacked by the Blues in 2020/21, and he struggled for form during his second stint in charge at Stamford Bridge in 2023.

The 47-year-old also only lasted 44 games in charge at Everton before being dismissed, with the team in danger of being relegated to the Championship.

But first Coventry will have their sights on clinching the title, with their next game coming against Portsmouth at home on 21 April in a 7.45pm kick-off.

Coventry squad will need work to survive in the Premier League

It’s difficult to strike a balance between sticking with the players that win promotion, and signing new talent that summer for life in the Premier League.

Sunderland invested heavily in the squad, and have been rewarded with a very impressive first year back in the top flight.

However, the sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund also helped fund that kind of activity, and Coventry may want to avoid cashing in on any of their top players that could attract the same kind of money.

But it’s obvious that some signings will be needed, as not every player in Lampard’s team will be ready for the step up next season.