Pre-season offers a clean slate for peripheral players – an opportunity to catch the coach’s eye in training and make a name for themselves in warm-up matches.
And at Coventry City that could be the case for Norman Bassette, 12 months on from his late arrival from Caen at the CBS Arena as a relative unknown quantity.
The 20-year-old Belgian excited fans early on in the campaign, not least when he tore into Tottenham in the Carabao Cup with his pace causing all manner of problems to the Premier League outfit.
But opportunities were limited for the striker throughout the season, managing just 11 Championship starts (13 in all competitions), 14 appearances from the bench and scoring only two goals.
With consistency and a sustained run in the side evading the player under Mark Robins and then successor Frank Lampard, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie believes that a loan move for the upcoming season is the best way for Bassette to maximise his progress in 2025/26.
“I really liked him when I saw him play at times last season for Coventry,” said the former Aston Villa star, speaking to Football League World.
“He’s really hard-working, has a real strength about him and puts himself about. I do think he might have to go out on loan to put himself on the map, though, because he does offer an awful lot, but he might not get the game time he would be expecting this season.”
He added: “It might end up working out for Coventry and himself if he goes out there and puts his name out there.
“I do feel that he has a lot to offer, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he is loaned out, because Coventry does have a fair few strikers who can step in.”
