Coventry City manager Andy Thorn will be a busy, but anxious man on the final day of the January transfer window today as he prepares his side for the away game this evening at Blackpool.
Thorn is hoping he will be able to finalise a deal to bring in at least one new face to bolster is squad in their fight against relegation, but he is also trying to find loan signings for some of his fringe players and persuade City's outstanding player of the season Richard Keogh to remain at the club.
With his continuous string of man of the match performances, Keogh has attracted the attention of several would be suitors, but with a year left on his contract he is worth some money to the cash strapped club, but he is also desperately needed in the relegation battle.
Striker Roy O'Donovan could be on his way to Scottish club Hibernian on loan, a move that would free up wages to help fund at least one new player.
Thorn revealed he has offered Keogh a new deal to keep him at The Ricoh beyond the next year, but he is also aware that he may not have much say if the owners decide to sell Keogh and cash in on another asset.
Speaking to the CT, Thorn said, “Keogh is, for me, someone who is definitely out of the question of selling but I’m not the owners am I.
“There has been interest in him but hopefully that won’t happen. I have spoken to Richard and promised him that as soon as tonight’s game and the transfer window is out of the way that we will sit down with his representative and talk about a new deal.
“He has got another year left on his current contract but he deserves it because he’s been fantastic this season.”
Fellow central defender Martin Cranie has also been offered a new contract and Thorn is hopeful that he will be able to keep both highly rated players.
Northern Ireland international midfielder and club captain Sammy Clingan has been linked with a move to Leeds again, but Thorn is keen to keep him at Coventry as well, but he is resigned to losing some fringe players on loan deals on the final day of the transfer window.
Thorn continued, “We will let some fringe players go out to get games and that will give me a chance to get a few quid to try to improve us.”
Thorn is trying to sign another Premiership striker on loan, but that is unlikely to happen until the loan window opens on February 8th.
Freddy Eastwood has attracted interest from Chesterfield, but whether a deal can be done is uncertain. Bournemouth are losing interest in Cody McDonald as he has not yet recovered fron his knee injury.
Thorn confirmed there is interest in some City players, saying, “There is interest in a couple of our players so we will see where we go and I think that needs to happen before I can do anything.”
It is understood that Thorn had been trying to sign West Brom's Roman Bednar, but tonight’s opponents beat him to it and signed the striker yesterday.
He explained, “It’s very frustrating but you just hope no-one else’s business is done before yours and then nick the player you are waiting on.
“I have got two sat there that I’d love to go and pick up and bring straight here but it doesn’t work like that. I will sit tight and I won’t bring in anyone who I don’t think will improve us, but the boys I am looking at I think will.”
One player who Thorn did manage to sign, Manchester City's Alex Nimely, has certainly proved to be an exciting young player and one who has impressed not only Thorn, but the long suffering City fans as well.
The other signing, the veteran Herman Hreidarsson, has added some steel to the defence and both players have been using the free time without a game to settle in and get to know the club.
Thorn wants to strengthen his team with another couple of players and believes that he can lead his side to Championship safety.
He said, “I talk to the boys about 57 points to play for and if we can improve the squad I see no reason why we can’t get out of trouble but I want to finish higher than we have done in recent years and if we can do that after what we have been through this season I think it will be a really good achievement for us and make us even stronger.”
Source: FOOTYMAD
