Leeds United and Everton have the power to dismantle Coventry City's Premier League dream | OneFootball

Frank Lampard's Coventry City are flying towards the Premier League but Everton and Leeds United could yet ruin their ambitious dreams.

Coventry City have a dream of returning to the Premier League under Frank Lampard, setting up potential top flight clashes with clubs like Leeds United and Everton in 2026/27.

Lampard and co. have been in pole position for 14 matchdays in a row, having built up a lead at the top of the division. They enter the busy Christmas period and January transfer window in fantastic shape.

However, despite the fact many will expect Coventry to strengthen, there is always a lingering fear over their current players. Those who have performed well are likely to have suitors higher up the food chain.

It’s imperative that they retain as many of their stars as possible, with a core forming the spine of their team. That includes Bobby Thomas.

Leeds United and Everton join race for Coventry's Bobby Thomas

With Leeds United’s shift to a back five system recently, and with Everton in need of defensive depth, there has been talk of both clubs eyeing a move for Cov’s imperious and impressive centre-back.

Leeds have had various famous and infamous run-ins with Lampard in recent seasons, while the Chelsea legend has a difficult spell with the Toffees a few seasons back.

Both clubs — and sets of supporters — would love to get one over on him and prise one of his best players from him. That could well be Thomas who has been one of the division's standout performers thus far, and he is once again at the forefront of a transfer saga involving several Premier League sides.

Both Sheffield United and Brentford were unsuccessful in landing the defender's services in the summer. However, it has now been claimed by The Sun that several top-flight clubs, including Brentford, Leeds, and Everton, are all interested in striking a deal.

The report states that representatives from the Whites and the Toffees have both conducted scouting missions as they look to land a January move for the man who joined the Sky Blues for £2 million from Burnley in the summer of 2023.

However, now Leeds are in a back three for centre-backs, Sebastiaan Bornauw is their only specialist cover to Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, and Pascal Struijk. They may well want another aerially dominant defender to push those players to start.

Meanwhile, Everton have been utilising Jake O’Brien as a full-back this season. They could move him back to a central role or look to keep him wider with another natural centre-back coming in instead. It would be difficult to envisage Thomas not being keen on a Premier League switch sooner, even if it looks likelier than not that Lampard will end their 25-year wait for top flight football.

Given his importance as a leader and commanding figure in the back line, it could dismantle Cov’s automatic promotion hopes. They may well have a lead, but there are other quality sides who would love nothing more than for Coventry to have their best players get picked off by those already established in the top tier of English football.

Bobby Thomas' career stats so far

Thomas is a vital cog in Lampard’s XI, but serious offers could tempt him in January and it would be a hammer blow for Lampard and the Sky Blues.

He has started in 20 league games so far, with 22 appearances in total in all competitions. The 24-year-old has been one of the standout defenders in the division and is rapidly developing all the time as well.