Aston Villa appears to be close to completing a deal for England international midfielder Ross Barkley, 30, and Luton is eager to replace Barkley with Coventry star Ben Sheaf. The Hatters, who were just relegated from the Premier League, could lose Barkley.

With parachute payments at their disposal, Rob Edwards’ team will have the financial means to outspend the majority of its second-tier competitors as they aim to return to the Premier League as soon as possible.

Luton Town’s interest in Ben Sheaf

Former Arsenal man Ben Sheaf has impressed for Coventry City in recent seasons, and helped the club reach the play-off final last season before reaching the FA Cup semi-final last month.

His performances have clearly impressed Rob Edwards, and Alan Nixon has reported that the Hatters will have to pay over £10million and come up with top Championship wages if Sheaf is to swap the CBS Arena for Kenilworth Road.

Carlton Palmer speaks with FLW on Alan Browne’s future at Preston North End.Sheaf will lead Coventry City under Mark Robins should he stay with the team, according to Coventry Live. The Hatters will have a difficult time luring the former Arsenal player to the team this summer.

Luton want to invest a significant portion of their parachute money in the 26-year-old, although they may have competition as Sheaf is apparently wanted by both Fulham and Ipswich.

Sheaf would be able to play Premier League games for both Fulham and Ipswich, but Luton won’t be able to offer him that. However, if Sheaf decides to leave Coventry in the near future, the assurance of starting for Kenilworth Road may influence his choice.

Luton’s attempt to sign Sheaf is expected to put Coventry City to the test, and the Sky Blues will likely have a busy summer with transfer interest.

It’s easy to see why Luton want Ben Sheaf

Ben Sheaf would be a tremendous benefit to the vast majority of clubs in the division since he has demonstrated in previous years that he is an exceptional performer at the Championship level.

With 131 Championship games under his belt, the 26-year-old would provide Luton with a plethora of skill and experience in the middle of the park—something that would be especially important with Ross Barkley’s impending exit.

Sheaf first joined Coventry on loan from Arsenal prior to the 2020–21 season, and the following summer he made the move permanent.

He has been better every season over that time, so it would be devastating for Coventry to lose him this summer, especially to a challenger for the Championship.

But, Coventry will know that they won’t have to sell Sheaf for a low price this summer because of his contract at the CBS Arena, which runs through 2026. Instead, they may maintain their position until a reasonable offer is offered.

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