Coventry City’s most expensive sales of all time includes Viktor Gyokeres and Eredivisie winner

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Coventry City have had some incredible players wear the sky blue of the club through their existence, and this has brought rivals to their door to acquire their talent.

There would have been several players through the club’s time in the Premier League that captured the attention of other clubs and even since with the club in the Championship, as it has come close on several occasions to gaining promotion back to the top flight.

Frank Lampard led his Coventry side to the Championship play-offs, losing in the semi-final to Sunderland, and now he will be looking to build upon that this campaign.

He will aim to keep his star players but will know that if an offer comes in that is too good to reject, around the fees they have received for their most expensive departures, the club may force his hand and sell the individual.

EFL Analysis brings you the five most expensive sales the club has ever made, according to Transfermarkt.

• READ MORE: Coventry City’s five most expensive signings include record international goal scorer and PFA Young Player of the Year

5. Craig Bellamy – £7.7 million

While it is the exact same fee the club received for Lee Hughes, Craig Bellamy enters the list at fifth due to leaving the club slightly earlier, and so inflation dictates he enters it slightly higher.

Bellamy only spent one season at the club, as he was brought in to replace the output of another player that will feature on the list later; however, while he impressed and did score several goals, Coventry were relegated that season.

Due to his output and performance, Bellamy earned a move to Newcastle United, where he would spend the next three and a half seasons.

Bellamy did not enjoy his time at Coventry after joining from Norwich City and was desperate to leave the club, and so Coventry will be pleased they received a high fee of £7.7 million for the Welshman.

4. John Hartson – £7.7 million

A player who left in the same summer as Bellamy and for the exact same fee, who will also not be fondly remembered by Coventry fans due to being involved in their relegation campaign.

The club again managed to fetch an impressive fee for the player, considering they had just suffered relegation and due to his injury record.

Hartson joined the club in February 2001 on a pay-for-play deal, as clubs were unwilling to sign him due to that injury record; however, he impressed by scoring six goals in 12 games.

This impressive display earned him a move to Celtic, where he would become a club legend.

3. Gustavo Hamer – £14.9 million

The most recent record sale on this list is regarding Sheffield United’s acquisition of Gustavo Hamer in the summer of 2023 for a fee of £14.9 million.

He joined the Blades after impressing for Coventry in the Championship across three campaigns, but it was his final season that really captured the eye, as he shone brightly in the league, scoring nine goals in 41 matches.

Hamer has continued to impress while at Sheffield United, being named the Championship player of the season in 2024-25 and being named the club’s player of the year in their relegation campaign from the Premier League.

• READ MORE: Coventry City set Milan van Ewijk asking price as Burnley rival Besiktas in transfer race

2. Robbie Keane – £16.8 million

The former Republic of Ireland star only spent one season at Coventry City; however, it was an incredible campaign for him, as he scored 12 goals in just 34 games.

Robbie Keane would capture the attention of Inter Milan, and the Italian giant would sign the striker for a fee of £16.8 million.

Keane was only 20 years old when he left Coventry to play for one of the biggest clubs in Europe; sadly, it would not work out in Serie A, and he would return to England just six months later following the sacking of Marcelo Lippi to join Leeds United.

1. Viktor Gyokeres – £20.7 million

The most expensive sale that Coventry City have ever made is when they sold Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2023 for £20.7 million.

Gyokeres had impressed during his two-and-a-half-season spell at Coventry, as he scored 43 goals across 116 appearances.

Sporting Lisbon noticed the ability he had to play at the top level in Europe and so splashed out on the Swedish international.

Now Gyokeres has decided to join Arsenal in the summer of 2025 to hopefully help them to a Premier League title, with the striker becoming the fifth most expensive signing they have ever made.