Coventry City must hold strict Milan van Ewijk stance - He's been brilliant this season | OneFootball

Coventry City can't let Milan van Ewijk leave for cheap this summer.

Coventry City's stumbling start to the season has been long forgotten, with Frank Lampard's appointment looking like a masterstroke to this point.

Since the 46-year-old was brought in as Mark Robins' replacement on the 28th of November, only the top three have accumulated more points. To make this even more impressive, the Sky Blues are currently on a run of 10 wins in their last 12 matches and have a play-off place firmly in their grasp.

Sitting in fifth place, they hold a two-point advantage over West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City, leaving both teams with little room for error as they chase down Coventry in the final eight games of the season.

Plenty of players have caught the eye during this impressive run, with the likes of Jack Rudoni, Matt Grimes, and Victor Torp grabbing most of the headlines for their standout contributions.

However, one player who has quietly gone under the radar is Milan van Ewijk. The right-back has been a model of consistency since Frank Lampard took charge, and it's fair to say his two seasons at Coventry have been nothing short of exceptional.

But as his performances continue to shine, van Ewijk's talents could soon be attracting the attention they deserve. This summer, it's likely that the former Dutch youth international, a true archetype of the modern full-back, will find himself in the spotlight, with potential suitors surely keen to snap up his services.

Milan van Ewijk's performances are likely to draw attention

Van Ewijk made the move to the CBS Arena in a deal worth £3.4 million and this large outlay for the full-back has been handsomely rewarded.

He has been one of the division’s standout performers in his position, with his underlying statistics confirming just that. The Dutchman has excelled across multiple key attributes, ranking in the top 10% of full-backs for tackles won, interceptions, possession recovered in the final third, and defensive recoveries.

Going forward, he’s also proven to be a real threat, though his contributions in terms of assists haven’t fully reflected his output. The 24-year-old has created 38 chances this season and boasts an expected assist tally of 4.57, underlining the attacking potential he's brought to the team.

These figures are very similar to his performances from 2023/24 and van Ewijk will be hoping that this time he can help his team secure a play-off place.

This level of performance did attract some interest in January with Fulham reportedly keen on securing his signature. However, the big news came from Italy with AS Roma understood to have approached the Sky Blues in the winter, only for them to be knocked back by his price tag.

At present, the fee Coventry would demand for his departure remains unclear, but this strong defence of their defender is something the club will need to replicate in the summer to fend off potential suitors.

Coventry need a recreation of AS Roma, van Ewijk dealings

Coventry's model has increasingly centered on signing young, project players and then selling them on for fees that reflect their performances. In recent years, we've seen the likes of Viktor Gyökeres and Gustavo Hamer brought in before being sold on for substantial sums.

Retaining van Ewijk would mark a departure from this approach, but the club should only consider parting ways with him if the fee offered is fitting for a player of his quality.

At 24, his potential remains vast, and Coventry’s ability to hold on to him will only be strengthened if they manage to secure a long-awaited return to the Premier League.

If they remain in the Championship, their stance shouldn't change, although the fee demanded may need to be adjusted. He is arguably the best full-back in the second tier, and replacing him would be no simple task, regardless of the money on offer.

It promises to be an interesting summer regarding van Ewijk's future, but all Coventry fans will be hoping to see him remain at the club.