Coventry City transfer news: Hayden Hackney talk, Leeds United blow, Gus Hamer reunion? | OneFootball

FLW have rounded up the latest major transfer headlines at the CBS Arena

Coventry City are back in the Premier League after 25 years of waiting, with supporters now full of anticipation regarding what lies in wait for the Sky Blues.

After their last promotion to the top-flight way back in 1967, Coventry spent 34 unbroken years in the First Division and Premier League, and it remains to be seen if they are able to reconsolidate such a position under Frank Lampard's management.

It has been a fine few days for all at the CBS Arena, as promotion was rubber-stamped with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, before Lampard was named as the Championship's Manager of the Season at the EFL Awards.

Amid all the celebrations, transfer speculation has already come to the fore ahead of what is likely to be a busy summer of activity when it comes to both incomings and outgoings in this part of the West Midlands.

With that being said, Football League World have rounded up the latest major transfer headlines concerning the Sky Blues.

How Coventry City could plot surprise move for Middlesbrough ace Hayden Hackney revealed

Coventry are now also waiting to see which two other sides will join them in celebrating promotion come the end of the season, and one of those could be Middlesbrough.

That said, the Reds have seen their form nosedive under Kim Hellberg in recent weeks, having previously been breathing down Coventry necks in the table at the turn of the year.

As such, it has been claimed by the Daily Mail that if the Teesside outfit don't end their own nine-year exile from the top-flight, midfield maestro, Hayden Hackney, could become a Sky Blues target.

The 23-year-old has posted five goals and eight assists so far this season despite a current calf injury, and, like Lampard, was recognised for his stellar season through the receiving of the Championship's Player of the Season award.

However, it has been well-documented for some time that Hackney has been the subject of intense transfer speculation, with TEAMtalk also reporting that Everton have since emerged as the leading contenders for his signature at this moment in time.

Leeds United's Ao Tanaka U-turn serves transfer blow to Coventry City and Manchester United

Another midfielder who has been heavily linked with a potential move to CV6 in recent days is Leeds United's Japanese international, Ao Tanaka.

It was recently claimed by Florian Plettenberg that the 27-year-old was open to leaving the Whites at the end of the season, and that a fee between €10m and €12m could be negotiated as a result.

Subsequently, it was debated whether such developments would spark Coventry into transfer action ahead of their first Premier League season since 2001, given Tanaka has started less than 10 league games for Leeds this term despite being influential in their run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

The chances of a deal potentially occurring were then dampened with links to the likes of Manchester United, Everton and Newcastle United, although the quartet of sides appear to have now been handed the same blow.

That's because, according to Football Insider, Leeds could still make a U-turn on their decision to part ways with the ex-Fortuna Düsseldorf man given how he has impressed Daniel Farke and other chiefs in such a small sample size of minutes.

Gordon Strachan sets out Coventry City transfer demand involving ex-Arsenal & Liverpool stars

As well as the expected speculation, plenty of names associated with Coventry have had their say on the club's promotion and what needs to be done ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

One of those comes in the form of Gordon Strachan, who was the last man to be in charge of a top-flight game involving the Sky Blues, and he believes they should take a leaf out of Sunderland and Brentford's respective books in the market by signing players such as Granit Xhaka and Jordan Henderson, who provide lengthy experience.

“I don’t think they can afford to [spend] that kind of money, and Coventry fans should never be put in the situation again where the club’s on the brink,” said Strachan, via Talksport. “You’re the custodian of the club, you make sure that the community is looked after.

“And there’s other clubs who have come up and go for younger players and sell them on, that’s been proven, that doesn’t work either. What can happen is, if you look at Sunderland: Granit Xhaka," he added.

“I think having him in the tunnel, beside all these players who have worked so hard to get there last year, that type of person in the tunnel where you look around and go ‘I’m glad you’re here’.

“Now I’m looking at (Jordan) Henderson at Brentford, when they walk out, he’s there; wonderful.

“Maybe have two or three of these players in there, and unless the players know they’re getting a wee bit more wage than them, but they’re going to make me a better player and they’re going to be successful for me, they can accept that," the Scotsman explained.

Fresh Gus Hamer, Coventry City reunion talk emerges amid Sheffield United contract situation

Furthermore, Football Insider have also speculated whether a full-circle return to the CBS Arena for Gus Hamer could be in the pipeline as talk surrounding his contract situation at Championship rivals, Sheffield United, rumbles on.

The playmaker was signed for just £1.5m from PEC Zwolle in July 2020 by Mark Robins and went on to accumulate 19 goals and 24 assists before his £15m move to Bramall Lane in August 2023, with the last of those strikes coming in the heartbreaking play-off final defeat to Luton Town.

Since then, Hamer has been credited as being United's standout performer, and was named as Championship Player of the Season 12 months ago, whilst continuously being linked with several transfer moves.

Chris Wilder has reaffirmed that the Steel City side remain in contract negotations with the Dutch-Brazilian, whose deal expires in June 2027, although it has also been claimed that United are preparing to sell both him and Sydie Peck this summer.