FRANK Lampard believes new Coventry City signing Matt Grimes is ‘one of the best midfield players’ in the Championship.
Lampard made the former Swansea City captain his first signing as Sky Blues boss with Grimes the club’s only addition of the January transfer window.
And the Sky Blues head coach admits the 29-year-old already feels like a leader in the dressing room and adds plenty of experience to a young squad.
Lampard said: “He’s a very good player. We’ve admired him for a long time. He’s got good experience, great technical ability and he understands the league and is one of the best midfield players in the league, in my opinion.
“He’s a good lad, he feels like a leader in the dressing room already, so I am very pleased to have him with us.
“I was aware of him, I’m aware of players, watch a lot of football but at Derby I was aware of him. It was the year Graham Potter was at Swansea and we played them twice and I was aware of his abilities.
“I watch a lot of the Championship and he’s obviously been a consistent performer for them and a style of player I really like, and one that I think can help us and help the players around him.”
Grimes arrived too late to feature against his former club last weekend but is in line to make his Coventry debut against Leeds United tonight.
And Lampard hopes Grimes can hit the ground running with the midfielder to wear former club captain Liam Kelly’s number six shirt.
Lampard added: “When you’re bringing in people in January, mid-season, of course the idea that they can hit the ground running is a great thing to help us here and now.
“At times you might look for more of a development player or have some time for a player to feel their way in.
“I think those cases are one by one and when we looked at the squad we thought very carefully about Matt, and I know he’s been of interest at his club.
“I’ll work with him with things that I can hopefully help him and help us.
“And some of that can be deeper in terms of helping our build and helping us move the ball up from lower areas of the pitch.”
Coventry host Leeds on Wednesday, February 5 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
