Four Coventry City loan players assessed as club prepares for Premier League

That, inevitably, means some of his existing players, including up-and-coming talents and peripheral performers will fall by the wayside – some sent out on loan, a number may be sold and others allowed leave.

Here we take a look at some of the club’s players who spent last season out on loan at other clubs and assess what’s next for those Sky Blues following the club’s step up to elite level football.

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Although the feisty Belgian striker displayed great potential as a raw talent when he first joined the Sky Blues two summer’s ago, he never managed to force his way into the side as a regular starter and then fell out of favour under Frank Lampard, resulting in him being sent out on loan with a view to a permanent move.

It, perhaps, speaks volumes that his supposed season-long loan to French second division side Reims where he made 12 appearances and scored one goal was interrupted in January when he was redirected to German side Kaiserslautern (16 apps, two goals), again with a clause inserted to buy the rapid 21-year-old.

However, he’s since been linked with interest in his native Belgium and his future remains uncertain, albeit a return to Coventry to see out the remaining two years of his four year contract appears highly unlikely.

Verdict: It’s hard to see a way back for Bassette at City, certainly under Lampard, and the Sky Blues will be looking to get a fee for the player they bought for an undisclosed fee in 2024. Failure to secure a permanent move would result in yet another loan, most likely abroad.

The 19-year-old development player showed great promise during last summer’s pre-season with City, earning a chance to push himself in the first half of the season when he made nine substitute appearances before being sent out for a second loan spell north of the border where he joined Scottish Premier side Hibernian, 12 months on from a stint with Motherwell.

But despite catching the eye, not least when he scored the winner against Celtic at Celtic Park in February, the central midfielder only actually made one league start (and 10 from the bench) for the club. On his return, however, he was rewarded with a friendly substitute appearance for Wales against Ghana last week.

Verdict: The fact that the teenager has been unable to establish himself as a regular starter with Hibs suggests that he may find it difficult to step up and get game time in the Premier League. He’s clearly a talented lad but probably needs to find a home where he can establish himself and flourish. Another loan is a possibility but a permanent move might be better suited to his development.

Raphael Borges Rodrigues caught the eye last summer with a number of sparkling cameo performances for Coventry City, so much so that many fans thought he might be an exciting impact player from the bench.

However, he was sent out on a deadline day loan to Wigan Athletic where the 22-year-old right winger was asked to convert to a different role to fit manager Ryan Lowe’s wing-back system, and went on to make 37 third tier appearances and scored one goal (28 starts and 8 from the bench) and 43 overall in all competitions for the side that changed manager in February when former Sky Blues defender Gary Caldwell took charge.

He was rewarded with an invite by his country to a pre-World Cup training camp in Florida last month before the Socceroos’ final squad was announced, albeit not including the City winger.

Verdict: Given that Raphael was sent out on loan last summer at a time when City were short of wide options for their Championship campaign, other than Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, it’s unlikely that the young Aussie will be considered for Lampard’s Premier League squad.

He did OK with the Latics but he needs to prove himself on a more consistent basis and the next step of his development would appear to be either another spell in League One or possibly a step up to the Championship. City have a decision to make, whether the club feels he has the potential to hit elite level football or not. Another loan is likely but it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he moved on a permanent deal if City can get their money back on him.

The 20-year-old Sky Blues development defender went out on loan to National League side Rochdale in January and never looked back, starting 24 games at centre-half and helping the club secure promotion back to League Two with a play-off victory at Wembley over Boreham Wood.

Verdict: He’s clearly a talented lad but the fifth tier is a long way off the Premier League and a return to The Dale to test himself in League Two would seem the most sensible course of action in the lad’s development. A loan seems likely but it may all depend on whether City feel he has the potential to make it at the top. If it's felt he has that progression in him then all well and good but, if not, he needs to find his level and forge a career for himself.

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