Coventry sign a 19-year-old from Fenerbahce, two days before their first Premier League game in 25 years
Sidiki Cherif arrives for a reported 24.5 million euros as the seventh signing of a summer that has already cost Coventry more than 83 million pounds in disclosed fees alone.
Aug 20, 2026
Coventry City have signed the 19-year-old forward Sidiki Cherif from Fenerbahce, announcing the deal two days before they play their first Premier League match in 25 years. The fee was not disclosed by either club, though the move has been reported at around 24.5 million euros, close to 20.5 million pounds.
Coventry called it a permanent transfer on a long-term contract. Reports in England and Turkey have put the length at five years, running to 2031.
A teenager who has already been sold once this year
Cherif was born in Guinea, moved to France as a child and came through the academy at Angers, where he made his professional debut in the 2023-24 season. Angers went up to Ligue 1 in 2024 and he went with them, and by the end of December last year he had four Ligue 1 goals to his name.
That was enough to move him on quickly. Fenerbahce took him in February on a loan that carried an obligation to buy, which makes Coventry the second club to pay a fee for him this year. He scored three times in the closing months of the season in Turkey, by the club’s own account, and has played in the Europa League and in this season’s Champions League qualifying rounds. He has been called up by France at under-16 and under-21 level.
“I’m very happy to be a Coventry City player and I’m excited to be playing in the Premier League,” Cherif said. “I’m looking forward to showing the fans what I can do and to play at the amazing stadium.”
The seventh arrival of a very expensive summer
He is Coventry’s seventh signing of the window, and the club have not been shy about what promotion is worth to them. Caleb Yirenkyi came from Nordsjaelland for a club-record fee reported at 26 million pounds, goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton for 22.5 million, Loum Tchaouna from Burnley for 20 million and the centre-back Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt for 15.3 million. Frank Onyeka arrived from Brentford and Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest, both for undisclosed sums, as did Cherif.
Those four disclosed fees alone come to 83.8 million pounds. Coventry have brought in nothing on players sold, so the real net figure is higher still once the three undisclosed deals are added. For a club that spent the last quarter of a century outside the top flight, and part of it as far down as the fourth tier, it is a striking way to come back.
Arsenal first, on Friday night
Coventry open at the Emirates on Friday, 21 August, at 12.30am IST on Saturday morning for anyone watching in India. It is a difficult way to start. Arsenal won the title last season and beat Manchester City in the Community Shield this month, and Coventry have not played a Premier League fixture since they were relegated in 2000-01, having been founder members of the competition in 1992-93.
They earned the trip. Lampard’s side won the Championship with 95 points, 11 clear of Ipswich, and scored 97 goals in 46 matches, more than anyone else in the division. Whether Cherif is involved on Friday is another matter, and Coventry have not said. Signing a 19-year-old forward 48 hours before facing the champions is a decision about the season rather than the weekend.