Coventry City casting eyes over ex-Derby County player | OneFootball

Former Derby County midfielder Jamie Paterson is training with Coventry City after becoming a free agent

Former Derby County and Swansea City midfielder Jamie Paterson is currently training with Coventry City as he bids to maintain fitness after becoming a free agent, although no eventual agreement is on the cards at this moment in time.

Frank Lampard will be eager to add to his squad this month, with the ex-Chelsea and Everton boss yet to complete a signing after taking over from Mark Robins at the CBS Arena back in November.

Sky Blues owner Doug King ploughed significant investment into the playing squad back in the summer in an attempt to contend for promotion, but it does not appear as though Lampard is going to receive the same level of backing until the off-season, with Coventry currently sat all the way down in 16th place.

Free agents could be on the agenda, then, one of which is Paterson. The veteran is training under Lampard at Coventry, but a deal does not feel imminent at this stage.

Jamie Paterson training with Coventry City as a free agent

Ahead of tomorrow afternoon's trip to Bristol City, Lampard confirmed that Paterson, who hails from Coventry, is currently training with the squad after becoming a free agent in December, having most recently turned out for Dean Smith's MLS side Charlotte FC.

Lampard has described the situation as a mutually-beneficial one, as Coventry are helping Paterson to maintain fitness while the 33-year-old supports the Sky Blues' thin squad as of late amid multiple injuries. However, at this moment in time, Paterson is simply training with Coventry and there have not been discussions pertaining to a playing contract.

Lampard told CoventryLive: "I know Jamie from coming up against him when I was at Derby, and he was at Bristol (City). He's a Coventry lad, as I think a lot of people know, and he's local to us.

"He hasn't got a club at the minute.

"It's a good experience, we're helping him to come and get fit and train. Our squad is a little bit stretched at this current moment so I think it helps us too.

"We are helping each other a little bit in the short-term and that's it. It's just training for the moment."

Jamie Paterson's experience could make him an attractive free agent signing

While Paterson's brief stay in the MLS perhaps did not work out as intended, he is best known for his time in the Championship and his vast experience at this level could render him something of an attractive, albeit short-term, free agent proposition.

Paterson came through at Walsall and has spent the vast majority of his career in the second-tier, turning out for the likes of Nottingham Forest, Derby and, more notably, Bristol City and Swansea. The attacking midfielder made over 150 appearances for the Robins and impressed in two of his three campaigns with Swansea, for whom he scored eight goals and made a further six assists just last season.

Paterson is a classy operator at this level who could still make a big difference for any side down in mid-table or below, one would imagine. His lack of football in recent months will be the natural drawback, but he is now regaining fitness and sharpness in the West Midlands and it will be intriguing to see if he can potentially win Lampard over in the coming days and weeks.