Frank Lampard is at risk of losing one of his star defenders this January window, as Galatasaray are reportedly pushing to sign Dutch right-back Milan van Ewijk, according to SoccerNews.
The Netherlands-based site claims that the two clubs are ‘secretly negotiating a transfer fee’ for van Ewijk, who joined the Sky Blues in July 2023.
MvE has been an ever-present in his one-and-a-half seasons in the West Midlands, and played a crucial part in their run to the FA Cup semi-final in 2023/24.
| Milan van Ewijk – Most appearances by club (as per Transfermarkt) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Played | Goals | Assists |
| Heerenveen | 78 | 7 | 4 |
| Coventry | 76 | 3 | 6 |
| ADO Den Haag | 46 | 1 | 3 |
| Excelsior M | 36 | 2 | 7 |
| SC Cambuur | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Galatasaray have been looking for a right-back for almost a year
Galatasaray have been looking for a capable right-sided full-back for the best part of a year, having yet to replace the talents of Frenchman Sacha Boey, who left for Bayern Munich in January 2024.
Boey’s initial replacement, 21-year-old Danish international Elias Jelert, has been largely disappointing in his first season in Istanbul, prompting the club to continue their pursuit already, despite the €9 million fee just six months ago.
Having seemingly identified the Coventry man as their ideal target, the wheels are rumoured to be in motion for his departure.
Despite the arrival of Frank Lampard creating a newfound buzz around the CBS Arena, the prospect of joining the Turkish champions would be inarguably more glamorous for the young Dutchman.
Unbeaten in both the Süper Lig and Europa League, intercepting Okan Buruk’s side at the season’s mid-point would likely guarantee the receipt of some form of silverware come May.
What Milan van Ewijk might cost Galatasaray
Transfermarkt currently value Van Ewijk at €9 million, which given the Turkish giants’ recent spending seems an entirely probable figure, and perhaps may even be on the low end of what Coventry supporters could expect to receive if the move comes to pass.
He joined Cov in 2023 from Dutch side SC Heerenveen for a reported €4 million. However, his performances in England have understandably increased his stock since.
His current contract expires in summer 2027, suggesting that the Yellow-Reds may have to overpay to acquire his services this early into his penned tenure.
While purely speculative at this stage, it is likely that Van Ewijk will be trying his best to push the deal through, in which case, the powers that be at Coventry may simply have to ensure that if their star man wants to join up with Victor Osimhen and co., the former UEFA Cup winners will have to provide worthy compensation.
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