“It kind of solidifies the fact that Ben Sheaf is staying as I know a lot of people thought Stamenic would be his replacement”- Pundit issues Coventry City’s Ben Sheaf claim as he says Marko Stamenic transfer collapse signifies Sky Blues are keeping star midfielder

Coventry City missed out on the signing of Marko Stamenic from Red Star Belgrade, as the midfielder completed a transfer to Nottingham Forest instead.

It’s set to be an interesting summer for the Sky Blues, as Mark Robins looks to build a team that can push for a play-off place again, after they fell short last time out. However, that doesn’t tell the story of what was still a memorable campaign, as Coventry came within inches of reaching the FA Cup final following a remarkable comeback against Man Utd at Wembley.

But, attention is now firmly on improving the squad for next season, and it had been claimed that Stamenic was a target for Coventry, with reports stating that they had agreed a £4 million deal with the Serbian champions for the New Zealand international.

Yet, it has since been announced that Forest have signed the 22-year-old, who has immediately been loaned to Olympiacos, where he will spend the 2024/25 season.

On paper, he would’ve appeared to have been an impressive capture for Coventry, as Stamenic had impressed in Belgrade, so he could have added more quality to Robins’ side in the middle of the park; perhaps alongside Ben Sheaf.

Despite that, most would agree that bringing in a new midfielder isn’t a priority for Coventry right now, as it’s an area that they are well-stocked in.

But, with doubts about the future of key man Ben Sheaf, amid interest from Ipswich and Fulham among others, the dynamic would change considerably if he was sold.

Of course, all connected to Coventry want to keep Sheaf, and FLW’s Sky Blues fan pundit Neil Littlewood took encouragement from the fact that the club didn’t pursue a move for Stamenic as proof that their star man will remain at the CBS Arena.

“To be fair, it was hopeful at best,” Neil told Football League World

“I don’t know if it was agent talk to see if he was going to join us but his manager did state he was going to join us.

“It would’ve been nice, but it kind of solidifies the fact that Ben Sheaf is staying as I know a lot of people thought Stamenic would be his replacement.

“We’re quite strong in that area, bringing Victor Torp in earlier this year, and Josh Eccles had a good season as well.

“It would’ve been nice, but he’s gone elsewhere, so it is what it is. I’m sure the club will have other targets that they’ll move on to.”

This is a very talented Coventry squad, and, unlike 12 months ago, they won’t go into the summer window knowing that their two best players are going to leave, as was the case with Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres.

So, there’s not going to be wholesale changes, but there will be an expectation to add a few players of quality that can make a difference. With their track record in the market, the fans will have full faith in the recruitment team, as they’ve shown that they can spot a player, and Robins is a coach that develops individuals.

If they were after Stamenic, it’s a shame for Coventry that they missed out, but keeping Sheaf will be the main aim for the midfield, and, as outlined above, history shows they will still be able to identify talent to improve the group.