Coventry City star is already showing he could be the next big Sky Blues sale: View

Victor Torp might further elevate Coventry City’s stature in the English game, which has skyrocketed in the last 18 months due to some outstanding hiring in the Championship.

The Sky Blues’ tumble down the leagues at the start of the century was, of course, well documented. Despite boasting the likes of Callum Wilson, James Maddison, and more in the lower reaches of the English football league, they were unable to return to the Championship for eight years before finally doing so in 2019-20.

To become an established second-tier side, they focused heavily on recruitment of lesser-known names with huge potential – and struck gold with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer. The duo combined last year to send the Sky Blues to the Championship play-off final where they unfortunately lost to Luton Town at Wembley, but they both departed in the summer for fees to the tune of £20 million and £15 million respectively – outstanding sums for this level. And with the club looking to do so again in the future, the development of Victor Torp could see him become the next big sale.

Victor Torp Coventry City career to date

Torp joined the Sky Blues in the January transfer window for a fee of around £2.1million from Danish outfit Sarpsborg and immediately came into the side at the end of the month.

It’s already resulted in one assist in four league games for the central midfielder and he certainly seems to be the ideal Hamer replacement after the Dutchman departed for the heights of the Premier League in the summer window. Being the creative lynchpin in the deeper part of the midfield, Torp already looks at home in the West Midlands and at the age of just 24, he has more than enough time to improve and potentially head on for a bigger fee.

Whilst Ben Sheaf’s injury has afforded Torp the chance to shine, it only highlights the makings of a promotion-chasing team that are planning ahead with increased squad depth only more likely to avoid erratic midfield performances.

Torp is a key example of Coventry’s model. Brought in for a relatively low sum as a largely unheard of profile, the midfielder will likely come in for interest from cash-laden teams if he keeps up his outstanding start to life at the CBS Arena.

Coventry City’s recent transfer business

Before the sales of Gyokeres and Hamer, Coventry’s record sales all fell in and around the turn of the century. Top talents such as Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy and John Hartson all plied their trade for the Sky Blues but the evident tumble down the divisions saw the club fail to recoup any decent sort of fee for their crop of stars.

That has changed with the sales of Gyokeres and Hamer. Coventry are now finally starting to get back to where they were on a financial and playing level after a two-decade-long stretch of agony, and that is evidenced when looking at the fees they have brought in over the years.

With the likes of Torp, alongside summer signings such as Milan van Ewijk, Ellis Simms and current star Callum O’Hare, it really is exciting times in the West Midlands at present.

How Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer have fared since leaving Coventry City

Despite the fees brought in, Gyokeres and Hamer’s careers have both taken different paths since they left in the summer.

For the Swede, it’s been a superb journey. Marking himself as Sporting Lisbon’s top goalscorer, Gyokeres’ side are joint-top of the Portuguese top-flight with Benfica, though they do boast a game in hand to go ahead of their local rivals. 28 goals and 11 assists in just 30 games for the side from the Jose Alvalade Stadium has seen him earn interest from clubs such as Chelsea, and it seems only a matter of time until he secures a huge move elsewhere.

Hamer, however, looks set for a return to the Championship. Currently bottom of the Premier League with Sheffield United, it looks like it is going to take a remarkable turnaround in form for the Blades to survive after collating just 13 points from their 24 games – and Hamer could well move on or stay at Bramall Lane to mark an immediate return to the second-tier.

One facet you cannot take away from Hamer is that he has played in the top-flight – and Torp could follow in those steps soon enough.