Early Dion Charles relief for Bolton Wanderers but Huddersfield Town may have last laugh | OneFootball

Dion Charles is yet to find his best form after moving to the John Smith's Stadium this winter

Dion Charles’ move from Bolton Wanderers to Huddersfield Town was one of the EFL transfers that raised most eyebrows in the recent winter window.

The striker has earned a reputation as one League One’s most potent goal-getters over the past few seasons, having hit double figures across the previous two campaigns at the Toughsheet Stadium.

A further seven strikes had been added to his tally this campaign, although he has been unable to open his account for his new side to date, with his first seven appearances for the Terriers yet to reap rewards.

While the short-term nature of the deal is yet to bring results, Town will have every faith that their striker will come good before too long, with a potential play-off campaign on the cards if all goes to plan.

Dion Charles yet to catch fire after Huddersfield Town move

Having joined from Accrington Stanley in the winter of 2022, Charles racked up 45 league goals in his 122 appearances for the Trotters, before departing for the John Smith’s Stadium last month.

The Northern Irishman played his part in both of Wanderers’ previous two campaigns where they came up short in the play-offs, and looks set for another assault on the top six this time around, but this time with the blue and white of Huddersfield.

Football League World exclusively revealed Town's interest a week prior to the move happening, and they are said to have forked out a fee in the region of £750,000 for a player who has proven he can unlock third tier defences on a regular basis over the past few years, although his last strike in the league came in a 3-1 win over Mansfield Town back in December.

The 29-year-old has struggled to find his feet in his new surroundings with Town’s form struggling as a result, before back-to-back wins over Barnsley and Shrewsbury Town allowed them to consolidate their place in the top six of the division.

Charles was taken out of the starting lineup for the latter of those two fixtures before being introduced in the final stages, with Duff opening up on the situation with his misfiring striker after Tuesday’s encounter.

“It's not quite working for him at the minute,” Duff told the Yorkshire Post.

“It’s a difficult decision, but at some point, it’s not about him and you are making what you think is the right decision for the team. We’ve tried to support him, but there’s only so long and there’s a tipping point.”

Huddersfield Town will hope patience pays off with Dion Charles

Whether it is the price tag weighing heavily on his shoulders or not, Charles has struggled to make an impact so far in Yorkshire, with a gilt-edged one-on-one opportunity against Barnsley being given up to exemplify his lack of confidence in his new surroundings.

The frontman is a striker who has his peaks and troughs in front of goal, with a 12-game barren run in his first season with Wanderers finally being put to an end with a match-winning brace against Fleetwood Town as the season came to an end.

In situations like these, it is about how you come out the other side of them, because there will be a moment where it all starts to click with Charles, and Town fans gets to see the full potential of their January arrival.

Once he gets back in the good books, there is no limit to his prowess, with Town well in the mix to book a spot in the play-offs, with their automatic promotion hopes all but going up in smoke after a run of one win in eight games around the new year.

Bolton will still have their own hopes of breaking into the top six before the season comes to a close, with just three points separating them from the play-off spots right now, but there is every likelihood that Charles could have a part to play in their destiny between now and the end of the season, despite moving away from the club.

If these woes continue, the Terriers could be easy pickings for any club that picks up momentum in the final few months of the season, but if he gets back to his best, Town could be a serious contender for an immediate return to the Championship, with Bolton missing out once again.