Football League World
·21 July 2024
Football League World
·21 July 2024
This trio will be delighted with how the Terriers' summer business has panned out to date
Michael Duff is starting to prepare his new Huddersfield Town side for the rigours of a League One season, with plenty of activity going on at the John Smith’s Stadium of late.
Whilst a number of players have departed the Yorkshire side after they dropped down into the third tier, the former Barnsley man has also looked to add some extra quality to his Terriers side ahead of the 12 months to come.
Mickel Miller and Lasse Sorensen have joined from Plymouth Argyle and Lincoln City respectively to add extra talent in the wide areas, while Herbie Kane moved across the county to join up with his old Barnsley boss after leaving Oakwell.
Antony Evans has also made the move from divisional rivals Bristol Rovers, and with plenty of business going on, here we take a look at who the winners from Town’s transfer business have been so far.
Huddersfield are yet to bring in any out-and-out strikers in the current window, which could be good news for front-man Rhys Healey in his quest to become a regular starter in the season to come.
The striker joined the club from Watford in the January transfer window, having failed to make much of an impact during his time at Vicarage Road, although he was barely given the chance to do so in the half a season he was there.
Having spent three years in France with Toulouse, the forward would have had high hopes upon his return to the English game, so a number of cameo appearances and relegation with Town is not what he would have had in mind.
Healey did start to make some impression after moving to the John Smith’s Stadium six months ago, with three goals in 11 league appearances for his new side, including a late winner against Millwall in April.
Ultimately, it proved to be too little, too late for Town, who dropped down into the third tier, and the former MK Dons man will be looking to set the record straight in the next campaign, if he is given the chance to do so.
The signs look like he might be given more of a prominent role in the year to come, although Huddersfield’s failed attempts to bring Alfie May to the club might signal that a chase for a striker is still on.
Having racked up over 100 appearances for Lincoln City in the last three seasons, Lasse Sorensen has won plenty of plaudits for his energetic displays for the Imps during that time.
Capable of playing on the right side or in the heart of midfield, the 24-year-old has always looked capable of performing at a higher level, and the opportunity he has got with Town could be the springboard to great things in his career.
With the Terriers hoping to get back to the Championship at the first time of asking the Dane could be on his way to big things in the years to come, and will no doubt play his part in the year to come in Yorkshire.
With 12 goal contributions for the Sincil Bank outfit in the last campaign, Sorensen will have a massive influence on his side’s attacking output from the right side of the field as a wing-back, and if he continues to play the way he has done in the past, he could well be preparing to play at a higher level this time next year.
In what was a tough season for everyone associated with Town, the performances of Jack Rudoni continued to offer glimpses of hope throughout the campaign.
The former AFC Wimbledon man was a constant menace for the Terriers, but failed to keep his side the second tier, despite his five goals and three assists amid their relegation battle.
The one fault that could have been attested to the forward’s game was his lack of clinical edge in the final third, with his non-penalty goal return ending up a total of 3.4 below what xG would have predicted for him.
That underlines what he needs to work on going forward, and Coventry City have taken the plunge in the hope of working on that trait and nurturing him into a top Championship player in the future, an opportunity that Rudoni will be eager to make the most of.
The Sky Blues are said to have forked out £5 million to bring the attackmign midfielder to the Midlands this summer, and with a better quality of teammate around him, he could really begin to shine in an upwardly mobile team in the next campaign.
If the 24-year-old can improve his finishing in the next campaign, City could have quite the player on their hands, who could easily reach double figures in terms of goals scored, and providing Huddersfield have a sell-on clause inserted, perhaps they will further profit from his development.