Liam Kelly is leaving Coventry City at the end of his contract, and Rotherham is leading a trio of League One clubs in the hunt to sign him.
According to the Rotherham Advertiser, Coventry City captain Liam Kelly is being pursued by Steve Evans’ Rotherham United, although two other third-tier clubs are also interested in the 34-year-old.
The Millers have been active in their transfer dealings thus far, completing six transactions before the market starts on June 14.
Joe Powell became United’s newest signing after his contract with Burton Albion expired after four years.
It has been a remarkable start to their transfer business, and with Kelly’s interest evident, Rotherham United’s next season looks to be another fascinating one.
Liam Kelly transfer latest amid Coventry City exit
Kelly has spent seven seasons with Coventry City, appearing in over 180 games for Mark Robins’ team. However, his stint at the club has come to an end, as the club announced earlier this month that the midfielder would not be handed a new contract.
This has opened the door for Kelly to pursue a new chance, and according to the Rotherham Advertiser, the Yorkshire club is interested in signing him for the 2024-25 season.
This signing would be consistent with their previous transfers, which have primarily been experienced players at the League One or above level.
However, they will face competition for Kelly’s signature, with the source saying that unknown League One opponents are also interested in signing him.
This suggests that Rotherham will have to compete other teams with similar objectives, and with a month remaining on his contract, Kelly will most likely be moving in a new direction soon.
Liam Kelly could be a great fit for Rotherham United
When it comes to Liam Kelly’s Coventry career, there aren’t enough words to convey how important the 34-year-old has been in the club’s promotion to the Championship.
He played for Bristol City, Oldham Athletic, and Leyton Orient before joining Coventry City in 2017, where he has remained a fixture ever since.
He helped them clinch promotion in his first season with a play-off final victory over Exeter, and the following season he helped them establish themselves in League One.
A year later, the rise of COVID-19 appeared to have derailed their promotion to the Championship, but the EFL’s points-per-game ruling allowed them to win League One.
He has only appeared 68 times in Coventry’s four seasons since then, although he came close to helping them reach their Premier League goal last season.
Kelly captained his side for every minute of the 2022-23 play-offs, but the Sky Blues were cruelly denied top division football in a penalty shootout, preventing Kelly from achieving the remarkable feat of playing in all four professional divisions of English football for the Midlands club.
He has made only 16 Championship appearances this season, however he was rightfully sent off against QPR when he came on as a substitute for Kasey Palmer.
After the game, Mark Robins praised Kelly, saying, “He has been an impeccable professional on and off the field, and an integral part of Coventry City’s rise through the divisions in recent years”. While Kelly may not be at the pinnacle of his career, any League One club that can secure his services will be getting a fantastic player.
