Coventry City have been advised to cut their losses on out-of-form striker Brandon Thomas-Asante and sell him to an interested club this month, with rumours circulating that Blackburn Rovers have offered for his services and Stoke City are also interested.
Thomas-Asante has had a difficult five and a half months at the CBS Arena following his arrival from West Brom for a reported £2.25 million in August.
The 26-year-old has made only eight Championship starts this season under both Mark Robins and current manager Frank Lampard, and he has only three goals in 29 appearances across all competitions.
His dismal form since joining the Sky Blues has prompted criticism from supporters, and despite Lampard’s encouragement to improve, new reports say that he is likely to quit the club as soon as possible following a difficult few months.
Fan commentator wants Coventry to trade Brandon Thomas-Asante in the January window.
According to Sky Sports, Blackburn have offered £1.75 million for Thomas Asante as they want to improve their attacking options while seeking a play-off spot under John Eustace.
According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, fellow Championship side Stoke have joined Rovers in the fight to recruit the former Ghana international, in an unexpected twist of fate, given that current Potters manager Robins signed him when in charge of Coventry last summer.
Thomas-Asante has started just one of the Sky Blues’ previous 11 league games and is presently competing with Ellis Simms, Norman Bassette, and Fabio Tavares for spots up front in Lampard’s side, so it would not be surprising if he left soon.
Ryan Murphy, FLW’s Coventry fan commentator, has delivered a critical assessment on Thomas-Asante’s stint at the club thus far, urging the Sky Blues’ leadership to authorise his departure as quickly as possible so that a replacement may be signed this month. “Regarding Brandon Thomas-Asante, it feels very, very harsh, and I’ve never had this mindset about a new signing so early, but he looks way off it,” Ryan told the news organisation.
A complete waste of money. We spent a significant amount of money on him.
“I remember we were all a little excited when we purchased him because of a cameo performance against us for West Brom, where he came off the bench and scored an absolute beauty into the top corner right away.
“He looked quite fast, and the finish was outstanding. Then you hear he was the leading striker for West Brom, which isn’t a horrible team.
“You’re thinking that if we can get their top scorer to join Haji Wright and Ellis Simms, who had a tremendous goal return last season, we’ll be in a strong position.
“However, since he’s been here, he’s appeared to be out of sorts. It has been embarrassing.
“He missed a sitter against Cardiff when we were all over them, they were down to ten men, and the game was over, but he missed from two yards out.
“Then he did it again at Norwich when we were 1-0 ahead with 10 minutes left to make it 2-0 and win the game; we went on to lose due to two injury-time goals.
“He retains the ball for too long, gets tackled every time, and instead of passing someone through on goal, he continues to run into dead ends.
“I’m not even sure what his best position is. Is he a striker or a winger? “It seems harsh, but I’m actually amazed that anyone has come in for him.
“I would take a loss on him, that’s how awful things have been. If we can break even with him, that’s terrific.
If the Blackburn figure that Sky has quoted is correct, I would completely cut our losses.
“Maybe it will do him a lot of good.” Some players simply do not fit in at particular teams, as we witnessed with Viktor Gyokeres when he was at Swansea and did not get a look at Brighton.
“He came to us and transformed into a world-beater. I’m not sure why, but sometimes it simply clicks at other clubs, and it may with Thomas-Asante if he moves to Blackburn or Stoke, as is speculated.
“I’d be surprised if he went to Stoke. Mark Robins signed him here, and I would have expected him to recognise what a flop he has been.
I’m astonished he is interested. “I’d gladly and happily sell, and just go again with someone else.”
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