With Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry City for large money in the summer, 2023/24 represents a chance for other players of Mark Robins’ team to shine.
Ben Sheaf has been a reliable performer for the Sky Blues in recent seasons, and the early weeks of the new season hinted that would continue as the holding midfielder proved to be a critical component once again.
A groyne injury sustained in training has sidelined the 25-year-old for the time being, but when he returns, he will likely reclaim his place in the side and return to dictating things in the centre of the park.
Sheaf, an Arsenal academy product, has flown under the radar a little in terms of interest from elsewhere but he’s certainly highly rated by Coventry – as the new three-year contract he signed in the summer proves. But what is the midfielder worth in the current market? We’ve turned to AI to examine just that as we assess how his value has changed according to Football Transfers’ expected transfer value (xTV). What is Football Transfers’ expected transfer value (xTV)? Created by Football Transfers and data analytics company SciSports, xTV is an AI-powered figure that uses a machine-learning model trained on around 600,000 historical transfers to identify patterns in the market and the fees paid.
A wide range of information is used to calculate the estimated figure, including player age, position, current and projected performance, experience, league and team strength, and contract situation, to ensure it best reflects the value of the player. The database, which is updated monthly, includes more than 240,000 players across 250 leagues. At any one time, a player’s xTV is usually available as both a range and a single figure.
