Coventry City are now the leading contenders to sign a Chelsea player, according to a new report.
Coventry map out transfer plans after Premier League promotion
Coventry City are back.
After 25 years away from the top flight, Frank Lampard‘s side stormed through the Championship this season, clinching the title and sealing promotion with three games to spare following a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers in April.
It was a moment that sent more than seven thousand travelling supporters into delirium and capped one of the most remarkable comeback stories in English football.
From League Two in 2017 to the Premier League in 2026 — the Sky Blues have done it the hard way.
Now comes the next challenge: making sure they stay there.
Star makes Everton, Newcastle or Coventry transfer decision after ‘positive’ talks
He’s made his preference clear.
Lampard and the Coventry board know that the squad which dominated the Championship will need reinforcing if they are to compete at the highest level, and the summer transfer window represents the most important recruitment period in the club’s modern history.
Attacking options are understood to be a key priority, with the coaching staff keen to add a young, dynamic striker who can grow with the project.
One name that has emerged at the top of the shortlist is Chelsea’s Marc Guiu.
Coventry City in pole position to sign Chelsea striker Marc Guiu
According to SportsBoom, Coventry are leading the race for the 20-year-old Spanish forward, who looks increasingly likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer as Chelsea continue trimming their bloated squad.
Guiu arrived in west London from Barcelona in July 2024 for a relatively modest £5m fee, having burst onto the scene at Camp Nou the previous season when he scored on his La Liga debut against Athletic Bilbao just 23 seconds after coming on — the youngest and fastest debutant scorer in Barcelona’s league history.
Chelsea saw enough potential to move quickly, signing the teenager on a five-year deal.
But opportunities in the first team have been scarce. After a loan spell at Sunderland was cut short when Chelsea recalled him following Liam Delap’s injury, Guiu has managed just 266 Premier League minutes this season, recording a single assist and no goals.
He scored in the Champions League group stage against Ajax but has largely been confined to the fringes of the squad.
Chelsea are now willing to let him go.
SportsBoom report that the club have signalled through agents that they would accept offers in the £17-21 million range for a permanent deal, though they are also open to loan deals that would allow them to retain a share of any future value.
The financial pressure is real — BlueCo have spent more than £2bn on transfers since taking over, and the need to generate cash flow and reduce the wage bill this summer is significant.
The prospect of a deal for Guiu apparently ‘excites’ Coventry’s board, but they are not the only club interested.
Real Sociedad and Sevilla are both monitoring Guiu’s situation and are believed to be preparing loan-with-option-to-buy proposals that could offer the striker a route back to his homeland.
The appeal of regular La Liga football and a return to Spain would be understandable for a player who grew up in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.
But Coventry’s pitch is a compelling one.
The chance to be a central figure in a newly promoted Premier League side, playing every week under a manager in Lampard who understands what it takes to develop young forwards at the top level, is a different kind of opportunity — and one that could accelerate Guiu’s growth in a way that sitting on Chelsea’s bench never will.
Everton now ‘determined’ to sign Coventry City star as priority target to fix key area
The Toffees see him as a ‘solution’ for David Moyes.