Coventry City have announced their first official signing of the summer with the confirmation that the club have secured the services of Raphael Borges Rodrigues, whom Mark Robins describes as a ‘talented and athletic’ winger.
The 20-year-old joins the Sky Blues from Australian side Macarthur FC for an undisclosed fee, subject to EFL and FA ratification. He has agreed a four year contract with the Championship club which will officially start next month and run until June 2028.
“We are really pleased to welcome Rapha to the club,” said the City manager. “He is a talented and athletic winger who has just enjoyed an impressive 2023/24 campaign.
“Rapha has some great attributes and a willingness to work and learn, and I’m sure we will enjoy his development during his time with us.”
Born in the Netherlands, Brazilian-Australian Rodrigues has represented Australia at youth level having moved there at the age of five years old.
He started his career at Melbourne City Academy in 2017. Raphael made his first start for Melbourne City in the Melbourne Derby in June 2021 and went on to be named on the bench in the 2021 A-League Grand Final before scoring his first professional goal in March 2022.
After a total of 17 games and 2 goals for Melbourne City, he joined fellow A-League side Macarther FC in June 2023, signing a two year deal. Last season was his most prolific season to date, scoring six goals in 33 appearances for the Sydney based side.
A right footed player, Rodrigues had been played largely on the left but can also operate on the right. The Sky Blues have already recruited Ephron Mason-Clark for next season, a powerful winger who signed from Peterborough United in January, who is expected to compete on the left, suggesting Rodrigues may add competition for Tatsuhiro Sakamoto on the right.
