Exclusive: Coventry Plot Second Bid for Ipswich Defender Luke Woolfenden

Coventry City are preparing a second bid for Luke Woolfenden, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

The Sky Blues had an initial offer for the Ipswich Town centre-back tuned down earlier this week.

But it is understood Frank Lampard will not be deterred in his quest to bring the 26-year-old to the Midlands.

Chelsea legend Lampard is a huge admirer of the player and is eager to have him at the heart of his defence this season.

It is understood that the Tractor Boys do not want to sell the player and Kieran McKenna would like to keep him at Portman Road.

But our sources have been told that Woolfenden wants to leave Suffolk this summer in search of regular first team football. 

And this has put a number of Championship clubs on red alert.

Stoke City and Watford are also keen to add Woolfenden to their squads as they look to bolster their defensive stocks.

Sheffield United were previously interested in signing the player, but the Blades shelved their interest in favour of other targets.

Homegrown Woolfenden is contracted with Ipswich until 2027.

Experienced Head

Woolfenden joined the club back in 2017, but feels his future lies elsewhere having fallen down the pecking order. 

The defender has made other 200 appearances for the Tractor Boys and will go down in the club’s history as playing a pivotal part in their famous back-to-back promotion triumphs which secured their dream Premier League return. 

Woolfenden played 47 times during the 2022/23 campaign and 42 times the following season as Town flew from League One to the top flight under McKenna.

After being a mainstay in the side, he is now regarded as back up to Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves and his only appearance this season has come in the EFL Cup.

When asked about the player’s future, boss McKenna said: “It’s clear that Luke is someone we’d like to keep, an important player for the club and the team.”

“He’s someone that we’d like to keep, but the situations are never always simple. There’s different parties involved and different wishes, and it’s been a challenging summer in that respect, there’s no doubt about it.”