How Coventry City's Haji Wright has reacted to Leeds United transfer talk - Frank Lampard will love it | OneFootball

Haji Wright is set to remain at Coventry City amid Premier League interest

Coventry City ace and USMNT international Haji Wright is set to remain at the CBS Arena in the long run amid interest from Premier League newcomers, Leeds United.

That is according to a fresh report from Football Insider on Tuesday morning, which claims that the Los Angeles-born striker has no intention of departing the West Midlands club in the upcoming January transfer window ahead of next summer's FIFA World Cup tournament, in which his home country is one of three host nations.

The centre-forward has been in inspired form for Frank Lampard's league-leading Sky Blues in the opening weeks of the Championship season, as they look to go one better than their previous failed play-off attempts in 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Wright was only a part of the latter, but has certainly endured a mixture of fortunes ever since arriving for a club-record £7.7m fee from Turkish Süper Lig side, Antalyaspor, in the summer of 2023 following City's penalty-shootout defeat to Luton Town at Wembley Stadium just months before.

Injuries have certainly played their part in such predicaments, although Lampard is now starting to see exactly why the 27-year-old has been courted by a handful of sides currently or previously in the Premier League.

He has been integral to the club's best-ever start to a league season, although City suffered a first defeat of the campaign last Friday against newly-promoted Wrexham, with Kieffer Moore's second-half hat-trick securing a 3-2 win for the North Wales side.

Regardless, there is obvious belief amongst supporters and outsiders that Coventry can end what would be a 25-year hiatus from the top division come May, and Wright clearly wants to remain part of such a story if the aforementioned report rings true.

As previously mentioned, the American has become the subject of fresh transfer interest from Leeds, with a recent report from Leeds United News citing such developments alongside a potential reunion with Daniel Farke for Wright's compatriot and Norwich City striker, Josh Sargent.

The report stated that Wright was very much on the Whites' radar in the summer, before they moved to secure the services of Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Football Insider backed up such claims whilst stating that a rekindling of interest in the Sky Blues hotshot may not be Farke's greatest priority come the turn of the year, with the same publication now revealing the striker's stance on the matter.

As such, it is claimed that Wright wouldn't entertain the thought of moving to Elland Road during what is a critical period for both his current employers and his individual career, as he hopes to make the cut for Mauricio Pochettino's eventual World Cup squad.

This also comes at a time when Lampard has become the subject of managerial links, most recently with struggling Southampton, who parted company with Will Still over the course of the weekend following a 2-0 defeat to Preston North End at St Mary's.

City are currently three points clear of Middlesbrough at the top of the Championship standings after 13 games, scoring a remarkable 36 goals in the process.

Wright has been a key part of such exploits, having previously led the way in the division's individual scoring charts, before being overtaken by his teammate and current top scorer, Brandon Thomas-Asante, who has notched nine goals of his own.

If such developments are to pan out, then Wright will have endeared himself even more to Sky Blues supporters, who he has certainly proven wrong after skepticism came his way following their play-off defeat in the summer.

Lampard's side are riding the crest of a wave, although the slightest hint of a departure for a key player or figure such as the City boss, Wright or the currently sidelined Jack Rudoni, who was the subject of intense summer interest, could have negative implications.

It also remains to be seen whether Coventry would be in a better position than Leeds in a few months' time. Farke's side have had a mixed start to the campaign, having taken 11 points from 10 games, but they are positioned just four in front of West Ham in 18th at present, and have the joint-second-worst goal return in the Premier League with nine.

Therefore, it is understandable why leading Championship marksmen, such as Wright, are being targeted by the Yorkshire outfit, but Wright clearly sees his chances of becoming a Premier League player being far greater with his current side.