Coventry City urged to 'splash the cash' like Sunderland - despite Doug King transfer warning | OneFootball

FLW's Coventry fan pundit has outlined how much he expects his side to spend this summer ahead of a likely Premier League return

After a slight wobble, where their iron grip on the top spot was prised away from them momentarily by Middlesbrough, Coventry City have regained control, and the Premier League is in sight.

The Sky Blues are nine points clear of Boro in second, and 11 clear of Ipswich Town in third, with just seven games remaining, albeit with Kieran McKenna's side holding a game in hand on them.

Barring a complete disaster, Coventry should be back in the top flight for the first time since the 2000/01 campaign, and with their 25-year exile seeing them fall all the way down into League Two before making a comeback, they'll be keen to stay there.

With the increase in level comes the necessity to improve the squad. The gap in quality between the Championship and the Premier League is as large as it has ever been, so while the Sky Blues have been utterly dominant in stages of this season, they'll know at the CBS Arena that they'll have to replace what they currently have with experienced, quality Premier League operators.

This is something that owner Doug King has vowed against doing to the extent of Sunderland, for example, who overhauled the squad which achieved promotion at the Sky Blues' expense last term with a significant spending spree that has equated to real competitiveness at top-flight level.

Despite King's warning and the brutal nature of such transfer activity, however, Coventry have been encouraged to push the boat out once promotion is sealed.

Coventry City fan pundit backs club to make difficult decisions with the squad this summer

As is the case with a club that has been so close, yet so far, for a few years now, these Coventry players have felt heartbreak while wearing the Sky Blues shirt along with those in the stands, and they'll be heralded as heroes if they can be the group to secure their Premier League return.

However, FLW's Coventry fan pundit, Chris Deez, knows that, if the Sky Blues go into next season with the same crop of players, they won't stand much of a chance when it comes to Premier League survival.

"I think, realistically speaking, we're looking at least needing to bring in seven, eight or nine new players in for the Premier League, and hopefully with Premier League experience, too," he said.

"I'm not saying we should go out and buy from teams in the top half, but maybe players who have gone abroad. There are a few in the French top flight who have some Premier League experience, like Kurt Zouma, maybe, who hasn't been paid much at his recent clubs.

"From a place of sentiment, I'd like all of these players to be playing in the Premier League with us; they deserve it and are modern-day legends."

However, Deez only believes that only six of the club's current crop of players could start for them in the top flight.

"I adore Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, but I don't see him making it in the Premier League," he said. "A defender like Milan van Ewijk, I can see being exposed in the Prem. Jay Dasilva has had a great season for us and has probably been our most improved player this year, but I can't see him hacking it in the Premier League.

"Realistically, it's Carl Rushworth, Frank Onyeka, Matt Grimes, Bobby Thomas, maybe Jack Rudoni, and at a push, Haji Wright, who could probably start for us in the Premier League, and we're going to have to contend with the fact that they'll have admirers, too.

"Thomas and Wright have both been linked with moves away. Rushworth is apparently only valued at £15 to £20 million, so half the league will want him, too."

Ideally, their Premier League status would see those already contracted at the CBS Arena want to stay, and give them an advantage in the permanent pursuit of some of their loan stars, but there's no doubt that Coventry would be in for a busy transfer window, both in terms of incomings and perhaps outgoings, too.

Coventry City told to spend £120 million this summer and buy Carl Rushworth to increase survival chances

Deez feels that his side needs to take a leaf out of the Sunderland playbook and bring in numerous players for eight-figure fees, which would likely smash their transfer records each time, with their record currently being the £7.7 million they spent on Wright in 2023.

"In terms of how much we want to spend, I think we'll need to do a Sunderland and bring in seven, eight or nine new players," the fan pundit explained.

"Not all to be thrown into the first team, as we will all need a bit of time to acclimatise to the Premier League, as it's been so long since we've been there, and who knows, maybe some of our current players can make the step-up, but we will obviously need a back-up plan.

"I'll throw a ballpark figure out of about £120 million. I think we need to splash the cash on at least a few players rated at around £15 to £20 million, like Rushworth, for example."

Rushworth has been arguably the best goalkeeper in the Championship this season, and has been one of the main reasons why the Sky Blues remained so dominant in the early stages of the campaign.

No goalkeeper in the second tier has prevented more goals, nor has kept more clean sheets, than the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee this season. And, in terms of distribution, his successful pass count isn't bettered by any of his rivals, nor are his chances created, per Fotmob.

He's a complete goalkeeper, and Deez has urged Coventry to give the Seagulls what they want to make the move permanent this summer.