Coventry City to smash transfer record as bid submitted for former Swans loanee

Former Swansea City loanee Rushworth, who was a hit during his stay in south Wales, has had a similar impact with the Sky Blues.

He played a key role in helping Frank Lampard's side to Premier League promotion, ascending to the top flight at champions.

The 24-year-old kept 17 clean sheets, winning the Championship Golden Glove in the process and he swept the board at Coventry's end-of-season awards ceremony.

He is now back at parent club Brighton but the Premier League new boys are desperate to make the shotstopper their permanent keeper as they plan for life in the top tier.

The Seagulls value the keeper at £20million; if the Midlanders were to stump up that cash it would smash their transfer record - their previous highest purchase being the £7.7million paid to sign striker Haji Wright three years ago.

On Saturday night, transfer journalist Ben Jacobs posted on X: "Coventry City placed a formal bid today for Carl Rushworth and are awaiting Brighton's response. Rushworth on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs, but open to signing permanently for Coventry."

Rushworth is managed by former Coventry man Stephen Hunt, who wants his client to be playing football first and foremost.

Speaking on the 1904 Club podcast on YouTube, Hunt said: “I am not one of those guys that likes my goalkeepers to sit on the bench so if he’s going to go somewhere in the Premier League he has to play, and that’s vitally important for us.”

Rushworth spent the 2023-24 season at the Swansea.com Stadium.

He was named both supporters' player of the year and players' player of the year during his time in SA1 and quickly became a fans' favourite.

There was hope he would sign permanently for the club, with the loanee revealing he loved his time in south Wales.

“When I go back down to Brighton, it’s going to be one of those conversations that I am going to have,” he said at the time.

“Now I have had this season at Swansea, I know the environment, the gaffer, the players and Marge (Margetson). If the opportunity presents itself, I could potentially come back.

“But you never know what can happen with football. I could be playing at Brighton, or elsewhere on a loan again – you never know.”