Frank Lampard key as Southampton and Middlesbrough miss out on £3.5m man

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The lure of one of the greats of the Premier League was such that even a pair of pre-season promotion favourites in the Championship – Southampton and Middlesbrough – were powerless to prevent a £3.5 million deal being completed this week.

EFL Analysis understands that both The Saints and their fellow suitors from the other end of the British isles were hoping to snap up a 22-year-old who, by his own admission, is coming off probably the best season of his career so far.

Southampton were looking at Kaine Kesler-Hayden. Preston North End’s 2024/25 Player of the Year had seemingly been identified as the club’s new right-back, as Kyle Walker-Peters leaves St Mary’s on a free.

Middlesbrough are in pursuit of right-siders, too, as Anfernee Dijksteel says his goodbyes.

In Kesler-Hayden, both clubs had their sights set on a versatile, rapidly improving footballer with considerable Championship experience at the age of 22. He had spent three seasons in a row on loan in the second tier from Aston Villa, representing Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle before popping up at Preston.

Now, one of the added benefits of hiring Frank Lampard as Mark Robins’ replacement was that Coventry City would give their pulling power in the market a handy boost.

And, as Kesler-Hayden puts pen to paper at Coventry, signing four-year deal with last season’s play-off semi-finalists, he does not shy away from the influence Lampard had on his eventual decision.

Southampton and Middlesbrough miss out as Coventry sign Kaine Kesler-Hayden

Kesler-Hayden brings an end to his long association with Aston Villa, having played over 130 games across various loan spells.

In addition to the Frank Lampard factor, the fact that the Solihull-born wideman joins a club based just 14 miles to the east of his hometown is another plus against Coventry’s name.

“It seems like the perfect move for me and the next step in my career,” Kesler-Hayden says, via the Coventry Telegraph. “I am just buzzing to be here and I can’t wait to meet the lads and get going.

“There was a lot of things that went into it. I saw last season how much of a good team Coventry City are and how unlucky they were not to make it into the Premier League, so hopefully we can have another go at it this season.

“Also, it is very local to me, which is perfect. I don’t have to travel too far, so now I just can’t wait to get started.

“It feels good to make a permanent move, it feels like it was the right time for me in my career. I’ve had a lot of loans throughout the last few seasons, so I feel like this was the right time to make the next step and make the move.”

Frank Lampard key as Kesler-Hayden leaves Aston Villa

Kesler-Hayden, who scored with a brilliant finish away to Championship champions Leeds United in the spring, reunites with former Huddersfield teammate Jack Rudoni at Coventry.

After losing out to Dan Ballard’s last-gasp decider at the Stadium of Light, Lampard will be hoping to go two steps further at the perennial nearly-men. The signing of Kesler Hayden proves that Coventry can secure talents on the radar of Southampton and Middlesbrough. The next challenge is to prove they can match the top teams in the division again on the pitch.

“[Lampard] was a big part of why I signed,” adds Kesler-Hayden, who could potentially replace Milan van Ewijk amid interest from Fulham in the Dutchman. “I believe in the project, and he showed me some videos and analysis of how I can fit into the team and for me that made it seem like the perfect place for me to come.

“Every season I’ve improved massively on every loan I’ve been on, and I think it’s five I’ve been on, and they’ve helped me massively.

“I feel like I’ve improved every season and I’m going to do that now I’m here and hopefully help the team as much as possible.”

In terms of alternative right-back targets, Southampton have been linked with Max Johnstone too. The Scotland international won the Austrian Bundesliga title last season with Sturm Graz.

Middlesbrough like Plymouth Argyle’s Bali Mumba, EFL Analysis understands.