FOOTBALL – Coventry City signs young striker Ellis Simms from Everton

COVENTRY City has signed young striker Ellis Simms for an undisclosed fee from Premier League side Everton.

The Sky Blues are close to selling last season’s top scorer Viktor Gyokeres to Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon and have acted swiftly to sign a replacement.

Simms could become Coventry’s record signing, should he achieve performance-related add-ons and if City earns promotion to the Premier League, having signed a four-year contract.

That would take the deal to around £8m in total, eclipsing the £6.5m fee the club paid to sign Craig Bellamy from Norwich back in 2000.

Simms said: “I’m delighted to finally be part of this club. I just can’t wait to get started.

“The conversation I had with the manager, he showed great belief in me and the club as a whole is on the way up and it seems like it will be a big season for us.

“He has done his research on me, and he likes the way I play, he thinks I will be a good addition to the team.

“He knows I can score goals and he knows my strengths and I’m sure once I get on the grass he can teach me a few things and give me the support and the run of games for me to kick on.

“I watched the play-offs and obviously they lost in the final, so I know they want more this season, and we want to go up.

“I’m coming here on a permanent move so I can settle in and it is my new home, so I can kick on and strive for more.

“Going on loan is temporary so the loans I’ve been on, I was only there for six months so you never really fully settle in, hopefully now with the length of the contract I can settle in and build onwards and upwards.

“I’m a striker and I love scoring goals. The main thing I want to do is score goals and help the team.”

Sky Blues boss Mark Robins added: “We are delighted to welcome Ellis to Coventry City.

“He is a strong, powerful striker who also has pace and finishing ability, and he is a key signing for us.

“Ellis is a young player who is keen to continue his development and to impress at Coventry City, and we look forward to working with him.”

Simms shone on loan at Sunderland in the first half of the 2022/23 campaign before returning to parent club Everton in January.

The 22-year-old scored one goal in 11 Premier League outings for Everton last season, netting a crucial 89th-minute equalizer against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

That came following a fruitful spell in the Championship on loan at Sunderland where he scored seven goals in 17 appearances.

He has also previously spent time on loan at Blackpool and Heart of Midlothian.