There is now less than a week left in the January transfer window as Coventry City and its opponents attempt to close their deals.
For the Sky Blues, the focus will be on who Mark Robins can bring in within the final few days to help them push for the play-offs again this season. Coventry are now sixth in the table, one point ahead of Hull in seventh, in a tightly packed middle.
While the emphasis will be on incomings, there will also be one eye on the departure, particularly considering playmaker Callum O’Hare’s contract status. Since recovering from a long-term injury in October, the 25-year-old has pleased with his efforts, netting six goals across all competitions.
It is perhaps unsurprising that there is some discussion about his short- and long-term prospects in the final days of the window. With that in mind, CoventryLive has compiled the most recent information.
Contract situation.
O’Hare’s contract at the Coventry Building Society Arena expires in six months, and he has yet to sign an extension. That means he will be eligible for free transfer when the summer transfer market opens, and he is currently permitted to sign a pre-contract with abroad clubs.
Speaking ahead of the 3-1 victory over Leicester City earlier this month, O’Hare confirmed that Coventry had offered him a new contract. “They actually offered me one but at the minute, honestly, I don’t have a clue what’s going on,” he told ESPN.
“Obviously, me and the fans have a particular bond here, and everyone at the club understands how much I like it here. We’ll see what happens, but all I know is that I’m going to focus 100% on winning games. That’s all that matters; give your all for the club.”
Interested clubs
Premier League team Burnley were among the first teams to express an interest in the player in 2022, when Coventry valued him at £9-10 million. According to Tom Collomosse of the Daily Mail, Burnley, Southampton, and Leicester City are among the clubs monitoring O’Hare in the final week of the transfer market.
A January move is ‘not inconceivable’, but a July move is more plausible. The Athletic have also mentioned Leicester’s interest in the midfielder, describing him as a ‘option’ for Enzo Maresca’s side.
What Robin has stated
“We can only do so much, but we 100% want to keep him,” Robins stated after the win over Leicester. “Whatever occurs, it will not be for a lack of effort or a desire to achieve it on our part.
“Looking at team members’ attributes, he exemplifies what we aspire to accomplish. He is courageous, goes for things, is a superb communicator, has an effervescent personality, and can also score goals. He deserves all the accolades he receives. We really missed him (while he was injured).
He later said, “We know where we are. The ball would undoubtedly be in Callum’s court, therefore it is not in the club’s court, but in Callum’s court.
“No one, including ourselves, is putting any pressure on anyone. He’s in a position where he may desire to try new things. I believe he has every right to do so, and if there is anything else he would like to do, he will have the option to do so at some point.
“We know where it is, so I don’t see why we should push him if he’s performing well and it’s not harming him. This is his time. It’s his right, if you will, to do what he’s doing, and we just need to give him space and time to do so. To be fair, I wouldn’t write anything off or rule anything out.”
Doug King hints.
Coventry City owner Doug King has provided an update on O’Hare’s condition with the club, telling BBC CWR: “I think it’s common knowledge that we’ve offered Callum a contract, and we’ll see how it plays out.” It’s still January, and we’re all aware of the issue, so there’s not much to contribute.”
Asked if he was confident over keeping O’Hare beyond this month he answered: “We’ll see how it plays.”
