Ben Sheaf's contract and transfer situation at Coventry City explained | OneFootball

At FLW we take a look at Ben Sheaf's contract situation at Coventry City.

Ben Sheaf has been a superb player for Coventry City since he signed for the club back in 2020.

After initially joining on a season-long loan, the defensive midfielder made the move permanent a year later, having previously been part of Arsenal's youth setup from the age of 13.

During his time at Coventry, Sheaf has established himself as one of the club’s most vital players. Under former manager Mark Robins, whenever he was available, he was always one of the first names on the team sheet.

That is no surprise looking at his performances, as he ranks as one of the best players in the Championship. Since making the permanent move to the CBS Arena, the 26-year-old has provided three full seasons of average ratings above 7.28 as per FotMob's metrics.

Unsurprisingly, this consistency has caught the eye of many in the Premier League, but at present, he still remains a Sky Blues player.

With this in mind, at Football League World we have detailed Ben Sheaf's contract and transfer situation at Coventry and where this places him ahead of the January window.

Ben Sheaf contract and transfer situation

Having signed a three-year contract at the CBS in 2021, his original deal was set to expire in the summer of 2024. However, following his impressive performances for the Sky Blues, he was offered a new deal, which he signed in 2023, extending his stay for a further three years.

This will ease some pressure on Coventry, who can be reassured that Sheaf won’t leave on a free transfer this summer. However, with only a year and a half remaining on his contract, they won’t be in a strong position to demand a significant fee if a club comes in for him.

The 26-year-old admitted last month that teams were keen during the summer, with Fulham and Ipswich among those reported to be keen. Luton Town were another club named as potential suitors while there were also surprise links to Manchester United.

That interest could potentially be renewed in January, but currently, no news has emerged as to whether anybody else is looking to sign the midfielder.

If clubs come forward looking to secure Sheaf’s services, the fee Coventry might demand remains uncertain. FLW's Sky Blues pundit suggested a minimum valuation of £20 million. However, this figure now seems overly optimistic, given that Sheaf’s current deal has just 18 months remaining.

Right now he is a Coventry player and based on what we've seen from him to this point, he will be fully committed up until the day he leaves the club.

For the past three years, Coventry's main priority has been securing promotion from the Championship. Unfortunately, this aim has yet to be realised, with a penalty shoot-out defeat in the 2022-23 play-off final and a ninth-place finish in the 2023-24 campaign.

The bad start to this season has already seen Robins sacked, and it now appears a difficult task to push themselves back towards those play-off places.

While Sheaf will likely want to see this season out, if they can't reach the fabled top tier, then leaving to join a Premier League side would likely be accepted by the Sky Blues hierarchy.

Having given them a strong four years of service, he deserves an opportunity above this level. Whether he is up to the standard required remains unclear, but if his performances in the Championship are anything to go off, he has plenty of ability.

Signing a new contract is likely off the table for Sheaf, who will know the ball is firmly in his court as January 2025 arrives.