Coventry City are reportedly set to clinch the signing of MacArthur FC winger Raphael Borges Rodrigues on a permanent deal, according to Australian news outlet FTBL.
The Sky Blues were credited with an interest in the 20-year-old last month, but now Mark Robins’ side are believed to have done enough to beat rival sides to his signature ahead of the opening of the transfer window in June.
How did he fair last season?
Borges Rodrigues joined MacArthur FC in July 2023 from fellow Australian side Melbourne City on a free transfer. During that time, he made 33 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and providing two additional assists.
The winger scored on his debut for the club in a 1-1 draw against Brisbane Roar, before scoring twice more against them in other matches later on in the season. He also scored against Western Sydney before providing assists in matches against Perth Glory and his former side Melbourne City.
How will Borges Rodrigues fit in at Coventry?
The former Australian U19s international is a winger by trait and can play on either side of the front three. This fits Mark Robins’ current system which was changed in October, resulting in Coventry changing from a back five to a back four and using wingers to support the striker.
Currently, Coventry only have two natural wingers in their squad (Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Ephron Mason-Clark) as well as USA international Haji Wright who can play there or upfront.
Adding a further winger into the mix will give Mark Robins’ side additional squad depth moving into the new campaign.
Will a move to Coventry benefit Borges Rodrigues?
Over the last few years under Mark Robins, Coventry City have enjoyed a lot of success with younger players, whether that be loanees or permanent additions.
Loanees such as Ian Maatsen and Leo Ostigard have gone on to star in the Champions League whilst younger talent like Tom Bayliss and Sam McCallum were developed and sold for seven-figure fees.
With the Sky Blues struggling for squad depth towards the end of the 2023/24 season, Borges Rodrigues is likely to experience a larger exposure to first-team football in the Championship which will in turn allow him to develop further as a player.