Coventry City: Frank Lampard hands Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City transfer blow | OneFootball

Brandon Thomas-Asante has been the subject of transfer speculation this January

Frank Lampard has shut down speculation surrounding Brandon Thomas-Asante’s Coventry City future in a blow to Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.

According to Sky Sports, Rovers have made an offer for the forward worth £1.75 million, with Pete O’Rourke claiming that the Potters are also in the mix.

Thomas-Asante only signed for the Sky Blues last summer from West Brom, arriving on a four-year contract.

The forward has made 25 appearances for the Championship side this season, but only eight starts, and has contributed one goal and one assist.

Frank Lampard makes Brandon Thomas-Asante transfer claim

Lampard has suggested that Thomas-Asante is not going anywhere this January, and that he remains a Coventry player.

He has suggested that speculation is just speculation, and it does not reflect what’s actually happening with the forward.

"Not as far as I'm concerned. He is our player, and remains so," said Lampard, via Coventry Live.

"There is always going to be speculation.

“We get linked with players, half of which are nonsense.

“The rumour mill and actually what happens are two different things.

"At the minute it doesn't mean anything to me, other than the squad that we've got, we're missing some big players, three very important players.

“We have to get every ounce out of the squad that we've got currently. If we can improve it, then we will try and do that.”

Lampard praises Brandon Thomas-Asante

Lampard also praised the 26-year-old’s performances in training, and believes he has made improvements in recent weeks.

"I back him [Thomas-Asante]. I like him as a lad, he trains with a great attitude,” he added.

“He wants to train and be active, I think there has been an improvement in the last couple of weeks from getting back into the team, which has maybe given him a lift.

“Now, he needs to work more, but he's the same as the other strikers in the team.

"We work a lot on finishing, we have a pretty high xG but we create chances.

“We haven't scored enough in the 10 games, though, through our strikers.

“I can be honest about that, because that's the brutal reality of it.

"When you're competing with others to get in the team, you get your opportunity in the team, there comes a time when you have to produce the end bit, which is what we want.

“For all the strikers here, that's something we really have to focus on and becoming more clinical when your chances come."

Coventry are currently 16th in the Championship table, only six points clear of the relegation zone after 26 games.

Brandon Thomas-Asante sale now would be surprising

Thomas-Asante hasn’t had the impact many would’ve hoped for at Coventry when he arrived from West Brom in the summer.

But it would be very soon to discard him and sell him on again, given he’s only been at the club for about six months.

While game time has been hard to come by under Lampard, starting just once under the new manager, patience should still be given to him.

A fee of around £1.75 million wouldn’t be a huge sum to receive for him, so it would be surprising if they cashed in unless that offer goes up to closer to £3 million.