Frank Lampard has broken his silence after being quizzed on West Ham United’s reported interest in Coventry City forward Haji Wright, following eye-catching claims of talks valued at £120 million.
West Ham are heading into the January transfer window under pressure to add attacking reinforcements as they fight to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Lampard — a product of the Hammers’ academy — has Coventry City flying high at the top of the Championship, firmly on course for automatic promotion.
The two clubs could hardly be heading in more contrasting directions.
Nuno Espírito Santo will rely heavily on the winter window to reshape his West Ham squad and steer them away from danger. Lampard’s challenge is the opposite: protecting Coventry’s strong position, with the Sky Blues holding a five-point cushion over second-placed Middlesbrough and a commanding 12-point gap inside the automatic promotion places.
West Ham desperate to avoid trading places with Coventry
A crucial part of Coventry’s promotion push will be ensuring their standout attacking players are not prised away in January, with Premier League clubs such as West Ham monitoring the situation closely.
Wright is one of several Championship forwards on West Ham’s radar. The striker, who came through the Hammers’ youth system, has long divided opinion among sections of the club’s fanbase and was asked directly about his future amid links with a return to London.
As West Ham continue their hunt for a goalscorer, Lampard’s response provided an insight into how determined Coventry are to resist any approaches. Speaking ahead of their next match, the Coventry boss made it clear he wants to keep Wright as part of his push for promotion.
“I’m very keen for us to keep them,” Lampard said, referring to Wright and fellow striker Ellis Simms. “They’re both extremely important players for us, along with others in the squad.
“If we want to achieve what we’ve set out to do this season, we have to retain our top players and look at how we can strengthen further to become even more competitive.” Lampard did acknowledge, however, that players and their representatives may have different ambitions.
Despite the speculation, Lampard insists there has been no visible impact on Wright’s focus or performances.
Lampard admits uncertainty over Wright’s long-term future
“At the moment, the transfer window isn’t open, so that helps,” Lampard added. “Aside from people talking, there’s not much for me to consider right now beyond our own planning.
“The players here have been excellent — they’re training well, committed to the club and focused on winning matches. That’s exactly what you want as a manager.
“As for the future, I can’t predict what will happen.”
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