Who is MK Dons’ latest signing Conor Coventry?

Conor Coventry arrives at Stadium MK from West Ham United at the right time as MK Dons suffer something of a central midfield shortage.

With David Kasumu out through injury and Ethan Robson recalled from his loan spell by Blackpool, Dons are down to barebones with just Josh McEachran and Hiram Boateng recognised in the middle of the park.

Coventry looks set to fit that bill. The 21-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan with Peterborough United, but could not nail down a regular spot in Darren Ferguson's side. He made 12 appearances in the Championship this season, four of them were starts. But with a lack of first team action, he was recalled by the Hammers earlier this month.

Having spent more than a decade at West Ham, where the youngster first worked with Dons’ head coach Liam Manning, Coventry came through the ranks and like so many in Premier League squads nowadays, got his first taste of first team action in the EFL Trophy for West Ham's U23s in 2017.

Handed his first professional contract in 2018, Coventry made his Hammers debut in the EFL Cup, coming on as a substitute in the 8-0 win over Macclesfield Town. He has made two other substitute appearances for the club in the same competition since.

His first experience of league football though came when he was sent on loan to Lincoln City in 2019/20, but his chances of regular football were put on hold when the season was curtailed due to coronavirus in March 2020, allowing him just seven appearances for the Imps.

Eligible for the Republic of Ireland squad, Coventry has been capped at U17, U19 and U21 level and was called up to the full squad in March 2021 when he replaced Conor Hourihane for 2022 World Cup qualifiers.