Sean Maguire

Position: Striker/Attacking Midfielder

Age: 28 *

At Club Since: January 2023

Total Club League Appearances (Goals): 6(0) *

One new attacking player looked to be the bare minimum that Coventry City required in January, with Sean Maguire recruited from Preston North End to fill that void. On the fringes of the Preston starting XI for much of the past few seasons, Maguire looks to have been signed by the Sky Blues due to his availability rather than as a key target to take the team forward. Filling the role in the squad of the departed Martyn Waghorn, the key to Maguire earning a longer stay at Coventry City will be in making more of an impact with limited minutes than his predecessor.

Once one of the most exciting attacking players in the Championship, Sean Maguire has had to completely change his game in recent years due to injury issues. Maguire’s explosive pace had been a key feature of his play during an exciting breakout year with Preston North End in 2017/18, but successive hamstring injuries have forced him into becoming a more considered forward player. From playing on the last shoulder of the defender, Maguire now plays much deeper in almost an attacking midfield role, looking to link the play, rather than round off moves. He provides Mark Robins with a different option in attack to the off-the-shoulder, Viktor Gyokeres, and pure goal-poacher, Matt Godden, but Maguire could well be in closer competition to Kasey Palmer for involvement between now and the end of the season.

The addition of Sean Maguire until the end of the season represents a club that appears to be in a holding pattern until the summer. Maguire hasn’t been signed by Coventry City to raise the bar of the team, instead, he is here to hand an occasional breather to his attacking colleagues. It feels like Maguire will do well to make the kind of impact to earn a longer deal at the club, but he at least provides something a bit different in attack and is someone who is proven to be at least a competent forward at Championship.

*As of 18/03/2023