Coventry City are plotting a move to sign New Zealand midfielder Marko Stamenic, according to Serbian outlet, Sportal.
His transfer could set in motion a huge change to Mark Robins’ midfield next season, as the Sky Blues aim for a play-off push.
The 22-year-old, who is currently at Red Star Belgrade after moving on a free transfer last season, might add a brand-new dynamic to Coventry’s midfield, and with Champions League experience already, he could help bring the club back to its former glory.
A seven-figure proposal in the region of €5 million is the price that the Sky Blues are expected to pay for Stamenic, with a sell-on clause of 10% also being added to the fee, according to Mozzart Sport.
With the potential arrival of the New Zealand international, it may open the door for Ben Sheaf’s departure from the CBS Arena.
What Stamenic could bring to Coventry
Despite his young age, Stamenic is highly rated for both club and country. He has already been capped 21 times for the All Whites, and featured 35 times for Belgrade in all competitions last season – including in four Champions League matches, scoring against RB Leipzig.
The ex-Copenhagen midfielder has three years left on his contract in Serbia, but with such a fee proposed, it could be too hard to turn down for the current Serbian Champions.
A tall, battling midfielder, Stamenic has great vision.
His ability to start attacks from deep made him a crucial part of Red Star’s league and cup double. He completed 87.63% of his passes in the SuperLiga, while also averaging 2.17 tackles per 90 minutes, according to FootyStats.
Coventry are in need of boosting their midfield numbers after Robins let go of Liam Kelly at the end of his contract, and a move for Stamenic would fill the gap left.
Not only this, at 22, Stamenic is one for the future.
Although his price is high for his age, he has the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the Championship and replace an aging one in Kelly – who is 12 years his senior.
The Sky Blues finished ninth in the Championship last season, failing to win any of their last six games. A rebuild of the midfield could be the key to seeing them do one better than their 2022/23 Wembley penalty shootout loss.
Sheaf departure may be inevitable
However, the negative for Coventry supporters could be the exit of Ben Sheaf if Stamenic is signed.
A versatile midfielder who can operate both in the deep and in a central role, it is easy to understand why Coventry are so keen to keep hold of him.
Sheaf is extremely reliable, and his physicality has been key to his side’s rise up the table since his arrival.
He won 55.1% of his duels in 2023/24, while also having an eye to pick out a pass with an accuracy of 85.3%, although lower than Stamenic across the season, the step-up to the Premier League may be the next move.
Premier League new boys, Ipswich Town, may have been priced out of a move for the highly-sought after 26-year-old, according to Alan Nixon on his Patreon.
But, this does not mean the end of the road for Sheaf’s potential sale. A £10 million price tag has been put on the former Arsenal midfielder, but with a replacement potentially available for half the price, Coventry may be more willing to accept a slightly lower fee.
However, if the Tractor Boys fail on other targets, such as Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien, their hand may be forced to splash the cash on Sheaf.
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