Coventry City step up transfer business as 'two bids' made in pursuit of January target
Coventry City have made “two bids” for Swansea captain Matt Grimes and “hope to sign” the experienced midfielder before the transfer window closes next week.
According to the BBC, the Sky Blues have so far seen two bids rejected by the South Wales club who, by coincidence, Frank Lampard’s men play at the Liberty Stadium this coming weekend.
The report says that the 29-year-old – viewed as “one of the most consistent midfielders in the Championship” – is likely to get a “significant” pay rise if he makes the move to the CBS Arena.
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Grimes signed a Swansea contract extension running until 2027 earlier this season. The defensive midfielder would be an ideal acquisition for Coventry due to the fact that their own captain, Ben Sheaf, is currently out injured for several weeks with a calf strain. And with Sheaf being the subject of interest from other clubs last summer and the former Arsenal player admitting his ambitions to play higher, Grimes could well be seen as a long-term replacement.
Our sister title WalesOnline are reporting that the Sky Blues are "increasingly confident" of getting a deal done, and also state that Grimes himself is also believed to be keen on the move, having made more than 300 appearances for the Swans over a near 10-year stint.
Grimes has once again been a mainstay for the Swans this season, having played every minute of Swansea’s 29 Championship outings so far this term.
The loss of Grimes, meanwhile, would be a heavy blow to Luke Williams’ out-of-form Swansea side, who have slipped to 17th in the Championship having taken only one point from their past five league games.
Swansea’s club skipper since 2019, Grimes has been a stand-out performer for the Welsh side since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018 thanks to his “quality and durability.”
Grimes has made 333 appearances for the Swans, scoring 16 goals, since joining from Exeter City a decade ago this month.
Coventry are 12th in the Championship, four points better off than Swansea, having won three successive league games.
They are six points adrift of the top six with 19 games of the season remaining. The mid-season transfer window closes on Monday, 3 February.
