With Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry City for large fees in the summer, 2023/24 provided an opportunity for other members of Mark Robins’ team to step in as the club’s top player, and Ben Sheaf has done just that.
Sheaf has been a steady performer for the Sky Blues in recent seasons, and this season has been no exception, with the holding midfielder once again proving to be a critical cog.
However, in recent months, he has gone to another level and become one of Coventry’s top players, alongside Callum O’Hare, although he does not receive the same recognition as his teammate, with most of his effort both in and out of possession going unrecognized.
A groin injury in training sidelined the 26-year-old for six games earlier this season, but he has been nearly ever-present since then and has regained his good form since returning to the side, transforming into the soothing and controlling force in the heart of the pitch.
He has been a significant member of the team since joining from Arsenal, appearing more than 30 times in the league in each of the last three seasons. Sheaf scored two goals and assisted twice as Robins’ team finished sixth in the Championship in 2023, but he was not a key player when compared to Gyokeres or Hamer.
The midfielder has matured into an excellent figure who has received numerous accolades from Coventry supporters over the years, but he is only now receiving much broader exposure than before. He has also matured into his role as a club leader, having captained the team on 19 times since December.
Following Hamer’s departure, he has been able to step up and become a valuable asset in the middle of the park for the Sky Blues, who would miss the former Arsenal academy graduate if he left.
He will screen the back four while also improving his passing abilities and keeping the ball safe by recycling it as needed. Sheaf may lack mobility, but he is a composed player under pressure, and such press-resistant attributes were always going to attract attention from the top level.
The 26-year-old recently played all 120 minutes as Coventry came close to winning one of the best FA Cup semi-finals in history. By the hour mark, Manchester United had a 3-0 lead and appeared to be on their way to an easy win.
However, goals from Ellis Simms, Callum O’Hare, and an injury-time penalty from Haji Wright helped Coventry come back from three goals behind in the final 20 minutes, sending the Red Devils to extra time.
Victor Torp thought he had scored a 120th-minute winner when VAR ruled it out because Wright had strayed marginally offside in the build-up. They would eventually lose on penalties, with Sheaf sending Coventry’s final attempt over the crossbar in tragic scenes for both Cov fans and neutrals.
Despite the late penalty miss, Sheaf impressed greatly, and his value appears to be greater than ever. However, a 3-2 loss to Hull City in midweek has effectively destroyed their play-off chances this season, barring a little miracle.
Of course, without promotion, any Championship club risks losing key players, as Coventry discovered after missing out on the play-off final last season, and Sheaf could be playing his final few games for Coventry against Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, and QPR. Transfer speculation is expected to continue until May and beyond.
Sporting CP won the battle for the Gyokeres’ services in the summer, but not without Cov raising a lot of money for him, demonstrating that they are a team capable of maximising transfer fees from Europe’s elite, even when their players are out of contract, as they may be with Sheaf. Official paperwork from November indicated that the Swedish forward was paid an initial €20 million (£17.5 million), with a further €4 million (£3.46 million) in prospective add-ons.
Gyokeres has scored 54 goals in 45 appearances for Sporting since leaving the CBS stadium (38 goals, 16 assists), which has piqued the interest of several teams across Europe. The bright lining for Coventry is that his contract includes a sell-on clause, and Gyokeres’ remarkable form could lead to another move this summer.
That would put extra money in Coventry’s pocket for a reconstruction this summer. All of this implies that Sheaf’s exit should be bearable for fans, given how much he and Gyokeres might get for their transfer money this summer.
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