COVENTRY CITY CLOSE TO £17M DEAL FOR FRANKFURT DEFENDER AMENDA

Coventry City are finalising a transfer for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Aurele Amenda worth more than £17m. The Switzerland centre-back will cost an initial £15.4m with a further £1.7m in performance-related add-ons. Amenda is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Premier League club, which secured promotion to the top flight this season.

Manager Frank Lampard and Coventry's recruitment department made a pitch that persuaded Amenda to join. Amenda was part of the Switzerland squad at the World Cup, though he did not play during the tournament. The transfer would represent Coventry's third summer signing, following the arrivals of winger Loum Tchaouna from Burnley and midfielder Frank Onyeka from Brentford, who made his move permanent.

Coventry continue to pursue Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth but negotiations have not yet produced an agreement. The club has identified Chelsea's Filip Jorgensen as an alternative goalkeeping target. Coventry prepare for their first top-flight campaign in 25 years, having begun pre-season with a 3-2 behind-closed-doors friendly defeat to Wimbledon and upcoming matches against Northampton Town and Espanyol.