Coventry City manager Mark Robins insists that the club have not yet received an ‘acceptable’ bid for Leeds United target Gustavo Hamer with Burnley reportedly offering £8 million.
After selling star striker Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting Lisbon for around £20 million – the Swede becoming Coventry’s biggest-ever export – the Sky Blues will not be bullied into selling the Robin to Gyokeres’ bludgeoning Batman on the cheap.
According to TEAMtalk, Burnley offered £8 million, plus Bobby Thomas and Luke McNally, as part of a player-plus-cash deal. Coventry want almost double.
And who can blame them? Yes, Hamer will be out of contract in less than 12 months’ time. But after hitting double figures for both goals and assists in 2022/23, finding a replacement of equal quality may be all-but impossible.
Burnley fail with Gustavo Hamer offer
“The honest answer is yes, we have had offers,” Robins tells the Coventry Telegraph. “But they haven’t been acceptable.
“That could change, who knows. He’s a top player, there’s no doubt about it, and other clubs covet them and put things in his head. That’s something that you can’t remove from his head.
“I think really what I would like to see is us finish our recruitment and then see what’s what. But, ultimately, it’s his decision.”
There is also interest from Fulham and a Leeds United side in need of midfield reinforcements. Ethan Ampadu has arrived at Elland Road from Chelsea, but that alone will not offset the departures of Marc Roca, Weston McKennie and Adam Forshaw, even if new head coach Daniel Farke believes 17-year-old Archie Gray may be ready to make the step up to first-team action.
“With Archie, I’m pleased with him so far,” Farke tells Leeds Live. “He’s in really good shape. He’s physically in a good condition. He has shown some really good performances in some pre-season but (we) also saw in many games what he has to improve. Where he has to improve.
“What I like about him is he’s willing to learn. He has to make a step through the door and he’s on a good path. But it’s pre-season so far so, yeah, not one proper game is played.”
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