Coventry and Wrexham in close race to sign Aston Villa’s Ross Barkley

Coventry City and Wrexham could be locked in a battle for the experienced England international in the summer transfer window.

Coventry planning for life in the Premier League

Although Coventry are far from home and in a dry environment, they are certainly in a good position to open up a seven-point lead over second-placed Middlesbrough and qualify for the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.

However, the Sky Blues suffered a setback in their most recent game, losing 2-1 at home to play-off chasers Southampton, with manager Frank Lampard bemoaning the fact that his side were not clinical enough to put the visiting team to bed.

Goalkeeper Karl Rushworth suggested team spirit is one of the main reasons why Lampard’s side have been so dominant this season, saying recently: “We’re going to try to help as much as we can with the back four, whether it’s a block or a save, and we’re going to celebrate that as well. It shows how well we’ve connected off the pitch.”

“It’s very scary to play against a team that praises every tackle and praises every time you win the ball back, because I’ve been on the other side of that.”

There is therefore a risk that the manager would put the cart before the horse if he made any major changes to his squad in the summer, but preparations are underway for life in the Premier League and the midfielder has now emerged as a target.

Coventry to play Wrexham, sign ‘great’ Premier League star

Coventry are currently tied with Championship rivals Wrexham in the race to sign Aston Villa star Ross Barkley, with Unai Emery’s side intending to listen to offers for the central midfielder in the summer, reports Sport Boom.

The 33-cap England international has attracted interest from Sheffield United and Everton, but it is doubtful whether manager David Moyes will pursue a move.

With the Sky Blues on pace at the top of the Championship, they could be in a strong position to win the race for the experienced midfielder, who has made 297 Premier League appearances.

The 32-year-old’s top-level flying experience could help Coventry, but his injury history, which has seen him miss a number of games for Luton Town and Aston Villa over the past three seasons, could be a cause for concern.

That said, the Englishman has impressed when available and was praised by manager Emery after an impressive performance against Leicester City in 2024. “I was also very happy with Ross Barkley today, his playing time was great.

The experience Barkley has gained at Villa, Chelsea, Everton and Luton could be invaluable to the Sky Blues as they look to cement their place in the Premier League next season if they achieve their promotion target.