Mifsud agrees Coventry move

Michael Mifsud has fulfilled his ambition of joining a club in England after agreeing a move to Coventry City.

The future of the Malta striker has been the subject of rampant speculation for a number of months after Mifsud turned down Lillestrom's offer to extend his contract in Norway.

Several English clubs were thought to be pondering a move for Mifsud during the January transfer window but yesterday the Malta striker confirmed to The Times that he has reached an agreement with Coventry who play in The Championship, the second tier of the English game.

The 25-year-old forward, indubitably Malta's most famous footballer at present, flew out to England last weekend with a view to holding decisive talks with his suitors.

Mifsud, who came through the Sliema Wanderers nursery, spent the Christmas holidays in Malta after parting ways with Lillestrom where he enjoyed a positive two-and-a-half-year spell.

When news of Mifsud's impending exit from the Norwegian league leaked last November, the British media reported that a number of clubs, including some from the Premier League, were keen on signing the nimble forward this month.

Coventry, who play their home matches at the state-of-the-art Ricoh Arena, were among the first clubs to be linked with Mifsud who, in an interview with The Times before Malta's Euro 2008 Group C qualifier against Turkey in Germany last September, revealed that the Sky Blues had tried to sign him last summer but Lillestrom rejected the offer.

At first, it looked as though Sheffield United, currently languishing in the Premier League's relegation zone, had gained an edge in the race for Mifsud's signature but it seems that Coventry's long-standing interest and perseverance convinced Mifsud to pledge his future to them.

Coventry are expected to announce Mifsud's signing at a news conference tomorrow.