Coventry City are “set to sign” Aston Villa’s Kaine Kesler-Hayden, according to reports.
The Sky Blues have been linked with the 22-year-old right-back for the last couple of months with initial reports suggesting they had “prepared a £5m bid” for a player also said to have attracted interest from newly-relegated Southampton and Middlesbrough, according to The Sun.
Now The Telegraph’s John Percy has reported that the full-back will undergo a medical with City today (Monday, June 30), ahead of an anticipated £3.5m move.
Kesler-Hayden was Preston North End’s Player of the Year last season after his fifth loan move away from Villa.
Frank Lampard is actively looking to recruit a right-back, first and foremost to compete with Milan van Ewijk, who has been the club’s only specialist in that position all season.
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The Dutchman, however, has been the subject of speculation himself and was linked with interest from Fulham and Turkish giants Galatasaray in the January transfer window and, more recently, Everton.
Kesler-Hayden would provide real strength to the position and will clearly be looking for regular first team football from his first permanent move, having made 51 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting three goals for the Lilywhites last season.
Kesler-Hayden signed an extended contract with Villa before linking up with Preston, this time last year. However, a permanent exit has been strongly suggested in the media over recent weeks - with Villa able to record any sale as pure profit, to aid PSR worries.
He represented Villa’s first team on five occasions and had loans at Swindon Town, MK Dons, Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town earlier in his career. The energetic full-back played most of last season at right wing-back under Paul Heckingbottom.
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