“A step backwards” – Coventry City told to avoid transfer reunion with ex-England international

Callum Wilson has been released by Newcastle United following the expiry of his contract, sounding the klaxon on the race to land an experienced striker on a free transfer.

It was announced this week that Wilson’s five-year stint with the Magpies was to come to an end after the two parties failed to agree new terms.

The 33-year-old has 392 career appearances for five clubs, coming through the youth ranks at Coventry City and going on to become a consistently solid Premier League player and also an England international.

Now a free agent, it begs the question – should Coventry try to bring Wilson ‘home’?

Coventry City told to avoid Callum Wilson homecoming

FLW asked our Sky Blues fan pundit Chris Deez as to whether Doug King should make a move for Wilson this summer in a bid to bolster Frank Lampard’s attacking options, but it drew somewhat of an unexpected response.

Speaking to Football League World, Chris said: “Callum Wilson is one of my favourite Coventry players of all time, one of the best strikers that I’ve ever seen pull on a Coventry shirt.

“But he’s pretty much the opposite of what we need right now.

“It would obviously be romantic to see him come back, but I think despite his obviously very, very bad injury record, he could probably still offer something to the likes of Leeds, Burnley, Sunderland, maybe even any of the three teams who came down from the Premier League last season, maybe even a Wrexham or Birmingham, who’ve got the money to spend.

“I don’t think it would be worth breaking our wage structure to bring in somebody who is more than likely going to spend a lot of the season on the bench.

“I would much rather we focus on getting Haji Wright back to full fitness and get him firing on all cylinders again.

“And I think even if you ignore the injury problems and the wages, we’re building a really good young squad and Wilson is 33. So, I think it would just be a bit of a step backwards.

“A couple of years ago, maybe it would have been a nice idea.

“Unless he’d be happy to take a pay-as-you-play sort of deal, then potentially. I would love to see him as back-up, but I don’t think he should be our main focus.”

Callum Wilson wage demands could prove difficult for Coventry City to meet

According to estimates from Capology, Wilson’s last contract at Newcastle saw him bring in £46k per week in wages.

Estimates from the same website record that last season, Luis Binks was Coventry’s highest-paid player, bringing in £30k per week.

For a deal to work, Wilson would have to take a substantial pay cut or the Sky Blues would have to go considerably over the top of their current bracket.

As Chris points out, it’s also not guaranteed that Wilson would come in as a starter, something which itself may be a sticking point given he’d be dropping down a division.

Chris’ logic that Wilson might work better for a promoted side, where he’s more likely to be content with a supporting role, given the Premier League status, makes sense.

It would make an excellent storyline to see Wilson end his career where it all began, but the feels like such a move would be more emotional than rational.