Coventry City

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Coventry fan Hannah has been telling BBC CWR about the new women's network she is part of setting up for Sky Blues supporters.

"It is really nice to feel that you have a community. For example, I don't have loads of other women friends that are into football, so you don't always have a readymade group of people to go with.

"Traditionally, football has been a very male, heterosexual environment, and I think that does feed into many elements of the game.

"Having groups such as Proud Sky Blues and women's groups is really important because I do think our voices are always stronger as a collective.

"The atmosphere at Coventry is good in general. We certainly haven't set up this group because we feel that there's a problem towards women at Coventry."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here

Rob Gurney
BBC CWR sports editor

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Coventry City fans have wanted Gustavo Hamer to return ever since he left.

He has a really strong bond with the supporters and he spends a lot of his time in Leamington Spa still. Lots of fans have bumped into him over the course of the past three years!

On the face of it, re-signing him is another really good piece of business by the Sky Blues.

But he comes back on a huge wave of emotion from the supporters, so let's hope to see those set-plays he's so good at as well as him unlocking Premier League defences.

We spoke about it a lot last season, but team spirit and bond was key, and it's quite easy to derail all of that by bringing in the wrong characters to try and improve the squad.

It doesn't look like Frank Lampard has done that at all because all the newcomers are fitting in seamlessly.

Selling Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer three years ago was very sensible business. It enabled Mark Robins, and now Frank Lampard, to build a squad that won the Championship to get to the Premier League.

Owner Doug King has splashed the cash and spent a ball-point figure of £100m - although all the fees are undisclosed these days.

I still think Coventry need a number nine though, as there are a lot of rumours around Haji Wright being injured and that puts an enormous pressure on Ellis Simms.

Listen to Sky Blues Fancast Live every Monday and Friday at 18:00 and subscribe to the Coventry City page on BBC Sounds

If you want to meet Coventry City players then there is only one bar to go to - Fizzy Moon Brewhouse & Grill in Leamington Spa.

The players have enjoyed many a night out in the family-run business over the years, including multiple Premier League promotion parties.

Rohan has been speaking to BBC CWR about what it's been like to host the Sky Blues players over the years.

Listen to the full chat by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here

It is common practice these days for transfer fees to have performance-based add-ons. The theory is the selling club gains more if the player goes on to be extremely successful, while the buying club is to some extent protected financially if the transfer doesn't work out.

In some cases, the total value of add-ons is significant - Real Madrid could end up paying an extra £30m to Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham depending on how successful he is over the course of his career in the Spanish capital, for example.

In others, like the potential £1.7m worth of add-ons Brighton's £29.78m signing of Greece Under-21 forward Charalampos Kostoulas, are less significant.

Clubs sometimes say add-ons are 'easily achievable' or 'difficult'.

Easier-to-achieve add-ons can include things like making a basic number of appearances, or scoring a certain amount of goals. Add-ons can also be attached to a team's success rather than the individual player's - a club may agree to an add-on requiring an extra payment if they qualify for Europe, for example.

Others can be more ambitious - tied to extreme levels of individual or collective success, like winning the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or.

An example of the difficulty add-ons can present when discussing valuations would be the claims made in the Portuguese media in 2022 that the first additional payment in Darwin Nunez's £64m-plus-add-ons move from Benfica to Liverpool was triggered by the Uruguayan making just 10 appearances.

Then Liverpool boss Arne Slot rejected speculation he had not started Nunez in some games because it would trigger an additional payment.

Whether Liverpool paid more for Nunez, or club captain Virgil van Dijk - for whom they paid a flat fee of £75m to Southampton in 2017 - cannot be determined without knowing exactly what add-ons were included in the Nunez deal, then figuring out which conditions he has and has not met.

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We asked for your views on the news Gus Hamer is returning to Coventry City.

Here are some of your comments:

Trevor: Absolutely made up with Gus returning. Just need a striker to complete a great transfer window. Confident Coventry will be competitive.

Gary: Absolutely the best signing of the summer for us so far. Sweet feeling getting him back where he belongs!

Dan: No feeling like it. So, so happy Gus is back! Genuinely think Hamer will play more of a role than people expect.

Simon: It's one of those full-circle moments, and thankfully he's still got a good few years in him. Fans love him, he's got that bit of guile needed to unlock defences and score a few goals too. Still think we need to add a forward and another defender but they've spent well so far and those may end up being loans.

Robert: The signing of Gustavo Hamer is the cherry on the cake!

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"To be able to call this place my home is something I've been looking forward to," says Coventry City summer signing Carl Rushworth.

The 25-year-old first joined the club on a season-long loan in July 2025 and featured in every Championship fixture during their promotion-winning season. He picked up three awards at Coventry's end of season awards, before signing a permanent deal.

"There are too many emotions and feelings to put into words right now," Rushworth told City Unseen, external. "I'm back with the boys and back where I was last season. I'm excited for this new challenge and to play in the Premier League.

"I'm just ready for this next chapter. I needed to be a number one at my club, so to be able to call this 'my club' is a really proud feeling for me.

"As soon as I came here last season, I knew this was where I wanted to be. When I think back to the first time I walked into the stadium, I remember seeing the massive crowd and the support we had.

"Seeing all the lads again brings back all of those memories from last season. I found myself scrolling through and looking back over the videos multiple times during the off-season.

"I'm back in the work mindset now. We have a big challenge ahead but everyone is excited for it."

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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There is something quite poetic about Gustavo Hamer's return to Coventry City.

After signing from PEC Zwolle in 2020, it soon become clear that the midfielder was destined for the Premier League.

And it felt like he was going to take the Sky Blues with him after spearheading Coventry's challenge to the 2022-23 play-offs.

The Brazil-born Dutchman could not have done any more - scoring the decisive goal in the play-off semi final against Middlesbrough and then levelling in the final to take Luton Town to penalties.

Hamer was forced off 14 minutes after scoring at Wembley, and many still believe the end could have been different if he had not gone off injured.

He was the talisman. The man for the big moments. The player who could make supporters dream.

Hamer's departure to Sheffield United hit Coventry fans hard. Not because anyone begrudged him top-flight football, but because it wasn't going to be in a Coventry shirt.

But now it will be.

He re-signs under a new manager and a new-look Coventry City. A club that after years of heartbreak won the Championship in style under head coach Frank Lampard.

Hamer's task is no longer promotion, it's survival, and it is going to be tough.

Coventry are going to need moments of brilliance from their number 38, and there is every reason for supporters to believe that Hamer can bring that again.

Vanessa Pearce
West Midlands

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Land on the site of Coventry City's former Highfield Road stadium is set to be renamed Highfield Road Park, in tribute to the club's historic home.

The Sky Blues played their final match at the stadium in 2005 after 106 years at the ground, with the stadium demolished the following year and redeveloped for housing.

Pete Witherow, of the Sky Blue Archive, said campaigners have spent the past two years working with the city council to secure the tribute in the centre of Signet Square.

A consultation was carried out with local residents and fans, he added.

• Hear more about the tribute on BBC Sounds

The renaming forms part of a wider effort to preserve the memory of Highfield Road.

Plans are also in place for Coventry's first dementia bench, which organisers hope will be installed next year, Witherow said.

The bench will feature a plaque and QR code linking visitors to the Coventry Dementia Hub and encourage people to reminisce and share memories.

In addition, four vision boards are planned for the site, displaying photographs showing the former stadium alongside images of the housing development that replaced it.

Read the full article here

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Will Oelrich
BBC Radio CWR

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Gus Hamer returning to Coventry City feels like one of those transfers that just makes perfect sense. Frank Lampard hasn't simply added quality; he's brought back a player adored by the Sky Blue Army and, crucially, someone with Premier League experience and the kind of know-how Coventry will desperately need this season.

As we debated on the Sky Blues Fancast Live this week, Hamer's role won't mirror his first spell. He's no longer expected to be the heartbeat of the side, but instead a high impact technician who can shape games in shorter bursts. Fifteen to twenty minutes of Gus Hamer chaos is still enough to change matches, and his set‑piece delivery remains a weapon Lampard will gladly lean on.

Jack Rudoni's continued recovery from his shoulder surgery means Hamer may well start the opening fixtures, offering Coventry early stability in midfield while Rudoni builds back to full fitness.

And with Hamer through the door, Coventry edge ever closer to that £100m summer spend. I expect they'll cross that line before the window shuts.

As fans, are you thrilled with the business? Tell us

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Gustavo Hamer says he is looking to give back to Coventry City supporters after returning to the club on a long-term contract.

The Sky Blues have snapped the 29-year-old up from Sheffield United, having sold him to the Blades in 2023.

"I'm buzzing, it's the move I wanted to make," said Hamer, who scored 19 goals in 132 outings during his last spell with Coventry.

"To go to the Premier League with Coventry was something I always dreamt of so when the club came back in for me, it was very special so I'm very happy.

"The love I got from the fans was amazing so the only thing I can give back to them is goals, assists and a good performance so that's what I will try to do. Of course, you can't score or give an assist every game but what I can do is give 100 per cent for the badge, for the Club and for the fans."

Before playing in England, Hamer, a former Netherlands youth international, played for Feyenoord and PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie.

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Chelsea are prepared to sanction a loan move for 25-year-old Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk, with Coventry City one of three Premier League clubs interested. (Football London), external

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Coventry City fans Anthony Hornsby and Danny Finlay were in agreement that Gustavo Hamer's role within Frank Lampard's team would be different should he re-sign for the club this summer.

Hamer was, alongside Viktor Gyokeres, one of the Sky Blues stand out players in the Championship promotion push in 2022-23, before leaving that summer for Sheffield United.

He is now strongly linked with a return to Coventry and Blades manager Chris Wilder has confirmed it is "100%" likely to happen.

"Truthfully, I don't think we need from him as much as he gave us last time," said Anthony on BBC CWR's Sky Blues Fancast. "That's because of where we are and who we have brought in.

"I can't wait for the moment we have a free-kick though, and there's Hamer and Victor Torp standing over it. I'll be clapping the goal before it has even gone in!

"You probably don't expect Hamer to be starting, but you know he is absolutely going to contribute."

Danny added: "I like his versatility and I agree that we don't need as much from him.

"He and Viktor Gyokeres dragged us - we weren't a two-man team - but they were brilliant towards the end [of the 2022-23 season].

"I don't even think he's a certain starter, but we have been lacking a player than can find that magical pass. The little slip down the channel and we know he can do that."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and subscribe to the dedicated Coventry City page to get all Sky Blues audio content.

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The Premier League season is yet to get underway, but the second-round Carabao Cup draw has already been made.

As many as 11 Premier League teams are in the draw, with the format regionalised into northern and southern sections before round three.

Here is who the Premier League clubs have drawn:

Stoke v Hull

Newcastle v West Bromwich Albion

Nottingham Forest v Leeds

Preston v Everton

Ipswich v Leicester

Birmingham v Brentford

Fulham v AFC Wimbledon

Chelsea v Luton

Tottenham v Charlton

Plymouth v Coventry

All ties are to be played week commencing 24 August.

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Former Coventry City striker Max Biamou says the Premier League will "be tough" for the Sky Blues but he is confident that they can avoid relegation.

Biamou, who scored 33 goals in 116 appearances for Coventry between 2017 and 2021, regularly returns to watch his former club and was at Saturday's friendly against Espanyol.

Speaking to BBC CWR about the upcoming Premier League campaign, Biamou said: "I came here when we were in League Two and now the club is in the Premier League.

"It's a big achievement from everyone - even from the players in League Two.

"It's always a pleasure to be here and come back home.

"The project was always to get back to the Premier League but we have done it in less than 10 years. It's amazing, but I am not surprised.

"It's going to be a tough season but as long as everyone gives 100% then everyone will be happy.

"But I know we are going to win games and stay in the Premier League because that's the main goal. We are going to do it 100%."

Listen to Biamou on BBC Sounds here

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Coventry City defender Aurele Amenda says he "can't wait" for the new season to start after settling into his new club.

The 23-year-old got 45 minutes under his belt against Espanyol on Saturday and had his first glimpse of the Sky Blues fans at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

"It was a really big pleasure to play here for the first time," Amenda told BBC CWR. "It was a warm welcome.

"I'm just happy to get my first minutes. Even for a friendly, I could feel the atmosphere.

"I came here to play in the Premier League and I think the fans are going to be crazy.

"I feel really fit and could have played more, but I need to go step by step. Next week [against Monaco], I will hopefully add more minutes.

"Since the first day, all the players and staff have been really kind to me. I had a really good welcome and off the pitch and I have a really good connection with the guys.

"The intensity is really high and the plans from the coach are really clear. I just can't wait to start the league.

"As a young player, I can learn a lot and this is going to push me and motivate me to push myself.

"The Premier League is a big step for me, but he [Frank Lampard] trusts me."

Listen to the full chat by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here

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Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says he expects midfielder Gus Hamer to rejoin newly-promoted Premier League side Coventry City.

The 29-year-old has scored 22 goals and provided 29 assists in 123 games in all competitions for the Blades since arriving from the Sky Blues in 2023.

Hamer, who was the Championship player of the season in 2024-25, has been strongly linked with a return to Coventry where he previously spent three years and Wilder has confirmed it is "100%" likely to happen.

"We have to move on - everybody, me, supporters, players. He was a special player for us and a big player. The decision for Gus to go, there are a lot of sides to it," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I don't think it's always as straightforward as people think it is, and we don't want players to run their contracts down, it's pretty simple.

"Coventry were one of the only teams that had come in for him. We'll move on, we have to find a replacement to fill that position.

"Cal [O'Hare] and Ryan [One] have played out there [against Mansfield]. Cal played out there last year when Gus didn't play for us and we had some good performances and results, but I see him more central."

Wilder said United chief executive Steve Bettis and the owners "know that we have to replace Gus with a really top player".

"I personally think we're in a good place. We're maybe two or three players off being in a better place, so I'll always push to do that," Wilder added.

"We've lost Gus, Andre [Brooks] went, so we have to move on and we have done. If we want good loans, we're going to have to be really patient.

"Clubs want players to go out on permanent deals and when they know they can't go out on permanent deals, then the loans become available."

Listen to Wilder's interview below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Coventry came from behind to beat La Liga side Espanyol 3-1 as they returned to the CBS Arena on Saturday.

In their first home game of pre-season, Frank Lampard's side were trailing at the break but found three quickfire goals late in the second half to turn the game around.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto equalised with 20 minutes remaining, before Josh Eccles completed the comeback five minutes later.

Ellis Simms then sealed the win with a third late on.

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Coventry have confirmed the departure of winger Jahnoah Markelo, who has joined Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai on a permanent deal.

Coventry signed the 23-year-old in January from Swiss side FC Zurich on a four-and-a-half year deal and he made five appearances during the second half of the Sky Blues' Championship-title winning campaign.

However, he did not start a game and struggled to make an impression - only playing 51 minutes in total.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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Danish journalist Nicklas Degn, who hosts the Mediano podcast, says Caleb Yirenkyi is an "extremely exciting player" that is "touted as the next big thing".

The 20-year-old midfielder has agreed a deal to sign for Coventry from Danish Superliga side Nordsjaellland for a fee worth 27m euros (£23.1m), plus 3m euros (£2.5m) in add-ons.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Nicklas said: "He's been one of the best players in the Danish Superliga in the past season and he's extremely highly regarded.

"Everyone knew it would just be a matter of time before he went to a bigger league, especially after his World Cup.

"There's always a big focus on the young talents of FC Nordsjaelland. They are a club that has an academy with a talent development that has an extremely high reputation internationally.

"And Yirenkyi has for quite some time been touted as the next big thing.

"He's a very versatile player. A complete number eight, but his versatility is underscored by the fact that he's been playing in defence for much of the spring at both Nordsjaelland and the Ghana national team.

"Coventry will be getting their hands on a extremely exciting player who plays with a maturity well above his age group."

Caleb Yirenkyi says he has liked what he heard from Coventry manager Frank Lampard after signing for the Sky Blues on a long-term contract.

The Ghana international, 20, joins from Danish Superliga side Nordsjaellland for a fee worth 27m euros (£23.1m) plus 3m euros (£2.5m) in add-ons.

He can operate in several positions - notably central midfield and right-back - and scored for Ghana at the 2026 World Cup in their win over Panama, catching the eye with some of his displays.

"I'm excited to be at this club," said Yirenkyi, last season's Danish Superliga Young Player of the Year.

"I've heard so much about it and I really feel positive about being here.

"When I spoke to the Head Coach about the plans and the style, it's something I really like, and I look forward to learning from him.

"I want to give my best to the team each and every day. I'm still young so I want to learn from the Head Coach, the other players and work really hard for the team.

"I've also heard a lot about the fans, they're incredible and I can't wait to play in front of them."

Earlier on Friday Coventry's links with former player Gus Hamer were strengthened when his Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder confirmed one of the attacker's previous clubs had bid for him.

Read more on the Hamer situation below