EFL Championship leaders Coventry City have reportedly held talks to sign 20-year-old English winger Romain Esse from Crystal Palace in the winter transfer window.

According to an update by Daily Telegraph journalist John Percy, Romain Esse is the subject of interest from Coventry City. The EFL Championship table-toppers are eager to reinforce their offensive unit by signing a wide attacker in the winter transfer window. So, the 20-year-old Crystal Palace winger has emerged as a target for the second-division club.

The Premier League promotion hopefuls have held talks with the South London club over a possible loan move for the Englishman. While other EFL Championship clubs are also keen on signing Esse from Crystal Palace, Frank Lampard is “hopeful of agreeing a deal soon” with the Eagles.

Who is Romain Esse?

Romain Esse has had to bide his time since joining Crystal Palace from Millwall in January 2025. A native of London, the young winger spent his formative years in his home city and graduated from the youth division at Millwall FC. However, while the 20-year-old rose in prominence during his spell with his boyhood club, he has not been a regular for Crystal Palace.

The English youth international has managed only 207 minutes of game time across six outings thus far in the 2025/26 season for Crystal Palace. However, Esse’s stock remains high, and a return to the EFL Championship may be on the cards for him. Coventry City will be among the prospective suitors vying for his signature in the winter transfer window.

From Premier League to the Championship?

Coventry City’s interest in Romain Esse is understandable. The Sky Blues have been scouring the market for a wide attacker heading into the winter transfer window. With Frank Lampard’s men sitting on top of the EFL Championship standings, promotion to the Premier League is possible.

So, Lampard wants Coventry City to bolster his squad’s offensive unit while retaining his best players for the second half of the 2025/26 season. So, while pivotal figures like Haji Wright have emerged on Coventry City’s wishlist, a departure is not on the cards. At the same time, they will look to sign new players like Esse, having held talks to land the 20-year-old Englishman on loan.

While other EFL Championship clubs are also keen on signing Esse from Crystal Palace, Frank Lampard is “hopeful of agreeing a deal soon” with the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if the English winger returns to the second division in the coming weeks.