FOOTBALL – Coventry City signed USA international striker Haji Wright for a club-record fee

COVENTRY City has completed the signing of USA international striker Haji Wright for a club-record £ 7.7 million fee.

Wright joins from Turkish side Antalyaspor and has signed a four-year deal with the Sky Blues.

The 25-year-old scored 31 goals in 64 appearances during his two-year stay in Turkey and has two goals in seven caps for his country.

And the fee paid to bring Wright to the club eclipses the £ 6.5 million paid to sign Craig Bellamy from Norwich City back in 2000.

Wright said: “It feels amazing, I’m really excited to get going.

“I was immediately excited by the project and the investment being made at the club and the team and all-round really excited to be part of it.

It was an easy decision to make.

“It’s always been one of my dreams to play in England and I know how competitive the Championship is and we have a lot of ambition to hopefully go up one day.

“It was a special moment to score at the World Cup as well.

“I’m 100% ready to go if called upon this weekend.”

The striker began his career with New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League (NASL) before moving to German side Schalke in 2016.

Wright scored one goal in seven Bundesliga appearances for Schalke and spent time on loan at German second-tier side SV Sandhausen.

He joined Dutch Eredivisie side VVV Venlo for the 2019/20 season but scored just one goal in 23 appearances.

The USA international moved to Norwegian club Sonderjyske in 2020/21 and impressed with 13 goals in 37 matches.

He secured a loan move to Antalyaspor in Turkey ahead of the 2021/22 season and scored 15 goals with the deal made permanent the following summer.

And Wright continued his fine form last season with 16 goals in 29 outings.

He also scored for his country at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, netting USA’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the round of 16.

Wright played in all four of his country’s games at the World Cup with his only start coming in the goalless draw with England.

He becomes the club’s ninth summer signing and will wear the number 11 shirt.

The 6ft 4in striker is available to play in Coventry’s season opener against Leicester City on Sunday, August 6 with kick-off at 12pm at the King Power Stadium.