Coventry City transfer state of play as calls made on pair with 'potential' for more moves
Frank Lampard admits nothing is imminent as Coventry City continue to work in the transfer market to improve their squad in this January window. City were active in the summer under Lampard's predecessor Mark Robins, recruiting the likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jack Rudoni and Norman Bassette, while Ephron Mason-Clark also linked up after his loan move.
Lampard has lost Mason-Clark, Ben Sheaf and Haji Wright to various injuries, though, and with the returns of none of the above on the immediate horizon, City are expected to dip into the market to top up the group currently at Lampard's disposal. They have made calls to recall both Ryan Howley from his loan spell with Ayr United and Jack Burroughs from Kilmarnock.
With Jamie Paterson, the local lad and current free agent, also training with the club currently in an arrangement which suits both the club - by way of beefing up training session personnel - and the player - in order to maintain his fitness levels - the club continue to put the feelers out and explore deals which may be possible to complete before the 3rd of February deadline.
READ MORE: Inside Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's first English interview as he reveals Coventry City dream
READ MORE: Coventry City predicted XI v Bristol City with four decisions awaiting Frank Lampard
For now, though, it remains a waiting game. Lampard explained: "I say 'no' as if they're far away, but it's not something to elaborate on out loud, is what I'd say. We're looking at both loans and permanent deals."
He and his staff will assess both Burroughs and Howley upon their return and, if the pieces fall into place and the Sky Blues are able to secure a sufficient number of new faces, then Lampard sees no reason why the pair cannot head back out on loan this month. For the time being, though, he is open minded.
"With Ryan, we will assess it," he added. "With Ryan, and Jack now, it gives us a chance to look at them on the training pitch and we'll see from there. Jack is back today. I'm sure they'll have benefitted from their loan spells. From personal experience, a loan at a younger age is a good thing.
"It's a new experience, new coach, new teammates and surroundings. Professional, competitive football. They'll have had the good and maybe they'll have learned some of the other stuff, about how clinical it is at that end of football. If you play well, you stay in the team and if you don't, you may not. That's something they'll have both seen, it will have been a good personal experience for them both.
"There's potential for anything, considering their situations. We'll have a look at them, I haven't seen them hardly at all. They're nice lads, they've come straight back in and been very polite and good. We will have to assess that over the next couple of weeks."
