SKY Blues duo Franck Moussa and Cyrus Christie are expected to leave the League One club this summer after rejecting new contract offers.
Manager Steven Pressley and development director Steve Waggott have been in talks with both of the players’ agents to discuss new terms with both contracts coming to an end next month.
But so far those talks have not resulted in any new agreements and Pressley feels the club do not have the resources to match interest from a Championship club.
“Franck has had an excellent season for us and he is fully aware of how much I think of him as a player.,” said Pressley.
“I would like him to stay but the reality of the situation is that he may seek football at a higher level.
“That could well be in the Championship which would mean a higher level of wages, something we would obviously find very difficult to compete with.
“We have in no way given up but the conversation with Franck has centred more around his ambition to player at a higher level so it looks most likely that he will choose to leave in the summer.”
Full-back Christie is a proud product of the Sky Blues’ academy and like Moussa has also turned down offers to extent his stay with his boyhood club with which he has now amassed more than 100 starts.
Despite his decision to not agree new terms, Waggott reiterated that the club would continue to speak to Christie and his agent over the coming weeks.
It is understood that former manager Mark Robins remains interested in bringing the 21-year-old to Huddersfield Town in the Championship after making an unsuccessful bid towards the end of the January transfer window.
And should Christie decided to leave, the Sky Blues are determined to seek a fair valuation of the player at a tribunal because of his age.
Waggott added: “Obviously while players that we want to keep – of which Cyrus is most certainly one – are under contract with us we will continue to try and convince them to extend their stay here,” Waggott said.
“Cyrus has had a good season and, of course, the manager has made it clear that he would like him to stay but, to date, talks with his representative have not resulted in an agreement on the improved terms that we have offered.
“Because of his age and length of time with the club, however, we will try to ensure a fair valuation of player at a tribunal should he decide to move elsewhere.”
Turn inside to see which players walked away with accolades at the club’s end of season awards on Sunday evening.
Defender Cyrus Christie could decide to move on after coming through the Sky Blues Academy. Photo by Jon Mullis (buyphotos247.com)
