CONOR Thomas is making a dramatic return to Coventry City.
The precocious midfielder – who was controversially loaned out to Liverpool for a quick-fix £250,000 fee in January with a view to a £1.5 million permanent move this summer – has picked up an injury in training with the Reds and is set to return to the Sky Blues for treatment.
And the Telegraph understands that the 17-year-old talent will be staying at his home-town club. He has apparently failed to settle at Anfield and is not necessarily what Liverpool are looking for at the moment despite having earned his first cap for England Under-18s against Italy while he has been training and playing in their reserves.
City boss Andy Thorn insists the club’s Academy graduate will receive a warm welcome home at the Ricoh Arena, saying: “I spoke to Conor yesterday because he has got a hamstring injury which he did in training so I will be speaking to Liverpool to find out what’s happening.
“But if they don’t take him, then we will welcome the boy back with open arms because he’s one of ours and we’ll have him back around the fray, and I think the way we are playing will suit him as well.
“It has been a great experience for him going to Liverpool because he will have seen their standards and what other clubs do.â€
Thomas, who is regarded as one of the hottest prospects to come from the Academy for years, stunned fans when he was snapped up by Liverpool on transfer deadline day, just two days after making his full senior debut for the Sky Blues in the 3-2 FA Cup fourth round defeat at Birmingham.
His move sparked controversy in the board room, prompting then vice-chairman Gary Hoffman to resign citing the deal as the last straw in his on-going concerns about the way the club was being run.
The deal was also strongly opposed by then chairman Ray Ranson who resigned the following month, while then manager Aidy Boothroyd was also privately unhappy with the decision which was taken above his head.
It has since emerged that the reason behind the deal was because City were desperate for the cash from the Premier League club who had been watching the player for a number of years.
The initial £250,000 loan fee helped ease the club’s growing financial difficulties that saw them go two days away from administration at the end of March until the club managed to secure £4-5 million from their Sisu investors to tide them over until the end of the season.
If Liverpool want to take up their option to sign the lad it is understood that it would cost them £1.5 in total, but there is rumoured to be a very large agent’s fee involved that would eat into what City would receive, and that is understood to have been the main reason for the board room rift.
But as it stands, it appears that the former Coundon Court schoolboy is heading back to Coventry to continue his footballing education and where his home town club will be able to enjoy the benefits of his talent for the foreseeable future.
