EXCLUSIVE: Alan Browne, Ben Johnson, Tyrese Campbell and 2 other free agents Coventry City could sign on a bargain deal this summer

With the summer transfer window opening in a handful of weeks, many Championship clubs will be utilising the current time to plan ahead.

Coventry City ended the season in ninth place, nine points behind Norwich City, who finished in the final play-off place. Therefore, Mark Robins will be looking to add to an established high-end second tier squad on paper, and hope that his side can recapture the levels of consistency that saw them reach the post-season frenzy in 2023.

As we approach the opening of the transfer window, many clubs are starting to confirm who will be on the free agent market, and here are five of those that Robins should consider.

Tyrese Campbell

Tyrese Campbell gets this quintet underway, having recently been released by Stoke City.

It’s fair to say that the striker’s time at the Bet365 Stadium was fairly mixed, but he was able to show moments of individual brilliance on an array of occasions, which could make the difference for a side in Coventry’s position, as the Sky Blues will be looking to gatecrash the top six once again.

Although it would seem unlikely that Campbell would oust either Ellis Simms or Haji Wright at this moment in time, given the form the duo have been in for some time, his presence as a third-choice/rotation striker would be more than adequate, after netting 36 goals in 164 appearances for the Potters.

Alan Browne

Alan Browne has recently seen his future up for debate given that his deal with Preston North end runs out next month, his experience and ability could make for an ideal signing especially after the Sky Blues confirmed that Liam Kelly would be leaving the club.

If Ben Sheaf was to depart the CBS Arena in the coming weeks, despite his age, Browne could also definitely fill that void alongside Victor Torp and still be a steady Championship performer at the age of 29.

Ben Johnson

A somewhat audacious pick is next, but Coventry could look to capitalise on Ben Johnson’s situation at West Ham United, as numerous clubs are said to be interested.

It has recently been reported by FootballInsider that the right-back has decided to leave the club after failing to reach an agreement regarding long-term contract negotiations.

The addition of Johnson would arguably give City some superior squad depth in the right-back position, as Milan van Ewijk has had a sensational season of his own, and could even be utilised further forward depending on when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto returns from his long-term layoff.

He made 20 appearances for the Irons next season, and acquiring his services for next-to-nothing would make a real statement early on in the transfer market.

Paddy McNair

The addition of Paddy McNair would be extremely shrewd, as the versatile Northern Ireland international confirmed his departure from Middlesbrough at the beginning of May. McNair made 219 appearances for Boro over a six-year period and was a key component of how the side operated under a plethora of managers.

Similarly to the aforementioned Norwood, the fellow Manchester United academy graduate has a wealth of Championship experience to call upon and would provide significant strength-in-depth given his ability to feature either in the centre of midfield or defence, as well as the occasional appearance at right back over the years.

Its unlikely he’ll be short of offers, so the Sky Blues should perhaps look at fronting the queue for his signature.

Joe Wildsmith

The perhaps surprise inclusion of Joe Wildsmith rounds off this list, but after a great season with Derby County, his addition to the Goalkeepers Union could be a smart move after being released.

After Ben Wilson’s stellar campaign last term, it took Robins some time to find his established number one this campaign, but even then, Bradley Collins has still been prone to the occasional mishap.

Wildsmith accumulated 20 clean sheets across 40 League One appearances last season – the best return in the division – and at 28, he’ll feel he could still contribute to a successful second tier side.

Simon Moore has also recently been released by City, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them dip into the free agent market to add another shot-stopper to their ranks, whilst using greater funds to boost other areas of the squad.