As we approach the last week of the January transfer window, we’re going to compile the most recent information about Callum O’Hare’s short- and long-term prospects at Coventry City.
With less than a week left in the January transfer window, Coventry City and their competitors are looking to wrap up their business.
The focus for the Sky Blues will be on the players Mark Robins can add to the team in the closing days to help them contend for the postseason once more this year. In the closely contested middle of the table, Coventry is now in sixth place, one point ahead of Hull in seventh.
The emphasis will be on incomings, but there will also be a watchful eye on the exit door, particularly in light of playmaker Callum O’Hare’s contractual position. The 25-year-old has pleased with his performances since making his long-term injury comeback in October, tallying six goals across all competitions.
It should come as no surprise, then, that in the final days of the window, there is considerable discussion about his immediate and long-term future. In light of this, CoventryLive has compiled the most recent data.
Contract situation
O’Hare has just six months remaining on his contract at the Coventry Building Society Arena and is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal. That means, as it stands, he will be available on a free transfer when the summer transfer window opens, and is currently allowed to agree a pre-contract with overseas clubs.
Speaking ahead of the 3-1 win over Leicester City earlier this month, O’Hare revealed that Coventry have offered him a new deal. “They actually offered me one but at the minute, honestly, I don’t have a clue what’s going on,” he told Sky Sports .
“Obviously, me and the fans have a special connection here, everyone at the club knows how much I love it here. We’ll see what happens but all I can say is I’m just gonna focus 100% here and win games. That’s all that matters really and give it all for the club.”
Interested clubs
Premier League side Burnley were one of the first sides to be linked with an interest back in 2022 when the player was valued by Coventry at £9-10 million. Burnley are reported to be one of the clubs who are monitoring O’Hare in the final week of the transfer window, alongside Southampton and Leicester City, according to the Daily Mail’s Tom Collomosse.
It is added that a move in January is ‘not impossible’, but a summer move is more likely. Leicester were also linked with an interest by The Athletic, who name the midfielder as an ‘option’ for Enzo Maresca’s side.
What Robins has said
“We can only do so much but we 100% want to keep him,” Robins said after the win against Leicester. “Whatever happens it won’t be for the want of trying or the lack of wanting to do it from our part.
“Looking at characteristics of people in teams, he epitomises what we want to do. He is brave, goes after things, a good communicator, an effervescent character and has added goalscoring to it. He deserves all the plaudits he gets. We missed him greatly (when he was injured).”
He later added: “We know where we are. Really, the ball would be in Callum’s court, there’s no doubt about it, so it’s not in the club’s court, it’s in Callum’s court.
“There’s no pressure being exerted by us, by anybody. He’s in a position where he maybe wants to explore things. I think he’s well within his rights to do that, and if there’s anything there for him that he fancies doing then he has the opportunity to do that at some point.
“We know where it is so I think, while he’s playing like he is and it’s not affecting him then there’s no reason to push. It’s his time. It’s his right, if you like, to do what he’s doing and we have just got to give him space and time to do that. I wouldn’t write anything off or rule anything out, in all fairness.”
Doug King hint
Coventry City owner Doug King has given the latest on O’Hare’s situation at the club telling BBC CWR: “I think it’s common knowledge that we have offered Callum a contract and we’ll see how it plays through. It’s still January and we all know the situation and there’s not much to add really.”
Asked if he was confident over keeping O’Hare beyond this month he answered: “We’ll see how it plays.”
