Coventry City were strongly linked with a late transfer window bid for Danish defender Oliver Sonne, with reports from Denmark claiming his club, Silkeborg, had rejected bids from the Sky Blues, along with Championship rivals Burnley.
Although City haven’t confirmed their interest in the 23-year-old Peruvian international, manager Mark Robins has been in the market for a new right-back to provide competition and back-up for Milan van Ewijk – the one position where there is currently no other specialised full-back.
The City boss revealed after deadline day: “We were looking at something but it didn’t materialise, so it wasn’t for the want of trying,” although it is not clear whether he was talking directly about the intense speculation linking the club with Sonne or another target.
Here we speak to Danish football journalist Mathias Hove, who works for Midtjyllands Avis, a local newspaper based in Silkeborg, Denmark, about the details of the proposed deal for the nephew of supermodel Helena Christensen, and the likelihood of it being revisited in January when the transfer window opens again.
How strong was the interest from Coventry and how close do you think a deal was for Sonne to move?
The first sources mentioned a total bid of 2.4 million euros (£2m) including various bonuses, which indicated that Silkeborg would receive a lower amount up front. Financially, the club is doing great, and they just sold striker Alexander Lind in a record deal to Pisa for 3.6 million euros, so it seems unlikely that they would even consider selling a key player like Sonne – who still has two years left of his contract – for less than 3 million euros (£2.5m).
Have Silkeborg or Sonne said anything about the situation and why he wasn’t allowed to leave?
Sonne has been very outspoken about his desire to leave Silkeborg. He scored the match-winning goal in the Danish Cup final in May and lead Silkeborg to the first trophy since 2001. “I’ve done my duty,” he told the local newspaper Midtjyllands Avis in July. Furthermore, he stated that in his opinion there was an oral agreement with Silkeborg, that he should be sold this summer.
Silkeborg has stated that they are/were ready to sell Sonne, if the right bid comes along. But they didn’t receive a bid that matched the expectations.
Do you think it will be something that will be revisited again in the January transfer window?
I’m sure that there will also be interest for Oliver Sonne in January. But nothing indicates that Silkeborg will accept bids below 3 million euros (£2.5m). In July they sold 25-year-old Icelandic international Stefán Teitur Thórdarson, who only has six months left of his contract, to Preston North End for an estimated 900.000 euros (£759,000), and a few days ago 26-year-old midfielder Mark Brink, who has less than a year left on his deal. He was sold to FC Nordsjælland for an estimated 1.4 million euros (£1.1m). So a 23-year-old Peruvian international like Sonne with 1.5 years left in January won’t come cheap.
What are Sonne’s biggest strengths and what type of right-back is he?
Sonne has a very big engine and he is able to play with high intensity both ways over 90 minutes. Silkeborg play in a 4-3-2-1 system where both full-backs play as a “winger” when attacking. He has a good ability to get in the box and has scored quite a few goals for a right-back. He’s an “offensive-minded” full-back.
Do you think he can step up to the English Championship?
That’s difficult to say. I must admit that I don’t watch many games from the Championship. But he’s starting to get more and more international experience after joining Peru, and he has been developing in a very positive way since joining Silkeborg in 2021 from HB Koege in the Danish second tier. He quickly adapted to the Superliga, so I won’t be surprised if he could do well in England as well.
I’m pretty sure he would be interested in joining Coventry if he is set to be the number one pick in his position. He’s very keen on playing and the last time I talked to him he made it clear that a place on the bench in a big club isn’t interesting. He would rather take a “small” step up and continue to play. But Coventry probably won’t get near him with a bid lower than 3 million euros (£2.5m).
Fascinating fact about Oliver Sonne.
His aunt is the Danish supermodel Helena Christensen and he has followed in her footsteps by doing some modelling himself, making his first magazine cover appearance on Vogue Hommes at the age of 17.
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