Huddersfield Town News 24/7 

Huddersfield Town League One Wing Back Tranfer Options

17-06-2024

Why can't we just play four four two? Times were simpler, you wouldn't hear someone in the local talking about inverted wingbacks or what a player's expected threat was and politicians wouldn't take 'plandid' pictures in pubs trying to make them look 'normal', but that is what summer of 2024 looks like.

Wing back is a strange position, the skillset required to play there has completely changed in the last decade, wingers are being asked to become stronger defensively, defenders are being asked to be more and more technical, but above all you need to be extremely athletic now. Just think of the players who have played at 'right wing back' in the last decade: Tommy Smith, Florent Hadergjonaj, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Danny Simpson, Ben Jackson, Sorba Thomas, Pipa, Ollie Turton, Brodie Spencer I could go on, but if there was a Venn diagram for defensive-minded vs attacking-minded, I don't think any fit in the intersection.

In 2021-22 Town's promotion charge was built off strong options at full/wing back: Harry Toffolo, Josh Ruffels, Pipa, Ollie Turton, Sorba Thomas. Since 2022, the recruitment to full-back has been similar to Rishi Sunak's policies with public services: Severely underfunded (relying on youth team players) and papering over the cracks with stupid ideas - national service (Signing players from Stoke).

I wrote a piece about which midfielders we could (should) be targetting to make a return to the Championship, but I feel like with wing-backs, it is a weird one - we are bloated in that area in terms of quantity, but not quality. It looks likely that Duff will want to play with two attacking wing back, so makes sense to discuss who we currently have, and where we should then look to target.

Huddersfield's right wing backs

1. Sorba Thomas: very unlikely to be here next season.
2. Ollie Turton: I think he is more likely to be used in a back three, and having spent the majority of the last two seasons out injured, it is not a guarantee he will be fit.
3. Brodie Spencer: Will he be here on September 1st? I doubt it, I'd love him to stay and sign a new contract. If he does stay, then I am sure this season in League 1 will really help develop the attacking side of his game, which is the only part of his game he could do with developing.
4. Neo Eccleston and Omari Mrisho, are both young players out of the academy, who given the number of games Town could play this season, may be called upon, and if they break through then that's great but we can't be relying on them

Huddersfield's left wing backs

1. Jaheim Headley: There is a player in Headley, but the noise that was surrounding him needs to be taken into account. He has got a lot of qualities that you want in a wing-back, but then there are other parts that are seriously lacking. At 22, there is still time, but I think you have to plan without him... unless he can convince Duff to keep him.
2. Josh Ruffels: Same as Ollie Turton.
3. Ben Jackson: Jacko has been open about how he struggled off the pitch last season and you have to admire him for that. A player who can play on both sides and is someone who benefits from playing regularly. Will he get this at Town? As much as I want him to succeed, I am not sure.

TLDR: Town needs a new first-choice wing-back on each side.

Adam Reach, free agent, left wing back

Only played 78 times in 3 seasons at West Brom, with nearly half of those (36) coming in his first season. Originally a left-winger, but played pretty much anywhere on the field in his career. The 31 year old would bring a lot of experience, having played over 450 times, the majority of that in the Championship. More of an attacking option than Town currently have, but he has certainly developed the defensive side of his game as he has progressed his career. His recent injury record does worry me a bit, but he would be a great signing for this level if Town could keep him fit.

Lasse Sorensen, Lincoln City, right wing back

At 24 and already having played 180 times in his career, Sorenson already has a wealth of experience. Town signed a 25 year old Harry Toffolo back in January 2020 from Lincoln who himself had only played 171 times in his career. With 115 League 1 appearances, Lasse is a proven League 1 wing-back, he played 91% of all of Lincoln's minutes last season, along with 4 goals and 8 assists. The former Danish youth international who won The Imps player of the season award participated in 18% of all Lincoln league goals last year. Town never were able to fill the attacking creative void left by the departures of Pipa and Toffolo in the summer of 2022 and Sorensen would fit this bill.

Lincoln extended their player of the year's contract by a further season, meaning his deal expires in June 2025, which leaves the door open for a sale if Lincoln are wanting to get money for him. For me a no-brainer of a deal. And most importantly, part of Beswicks Sports.

Fred Onyedinma, free agent, left wing back

Like Reach, a winger that has been converted into a wing back, Onyedinma spent the first half of last season at Rotherham, before being recalled to play 8 games for Luton. The 27 year old is being released this summer, with 2 promotions already on his CV from League 1. I am not sure he is exactly what we need as a wing back, and he is the right side of 30. Town again could do a lot worse, and it is the sort of signing that could play in the Championship if Town are promoted this season.

Nicky Cadden, free agent, left wing back

Another of Duff's ex-players, who is a free agent after leaving Barnsley. 2 goals, 5 assists in 44 league games last season. A top half League 1 player, who has got the League 1 playoffs the last 2 seasons, and won promotion from League 2 the season before that. He knows the EFL, he knows Duff, and again is only 27, definitely an option, although may be a bit down the list.

Jodi Jones, Notts County, left wing back

League 2 player of the season: 42 appearances, 5 goals, 23 assists. His contract is up at the end of 2025, so will bring interest from League 1 and the Championship. Obviously he has played at this level (and the Championship) before for Coventry and Oxford, but I feel like the move to Notts County has really helped him flourish into the excellent player he is now. County will likely demand big money, although again he is not hugely strong defensively, but he's an offensive creative machine.

Kristian Pedersen, Swansea, left wing back

May be one that is a bit out of Town's price range and above League 1 level, but after leaving Birmingham in 2022, Pederson has only played 23 times. An experienced player in the English game having made 170 appearances, and someone who is strong defensively. He made the move to Swansea last summer and then made a loan move to Sheffield Wednesday in January. It looks likely that Swansea will look to move him on this summer, so could Town try and tempt the Dane to League 1?

Harvey Vale, Chelsea, left wing back

Came through the Chelsea academy as a midfielder, but has been turned into a wing back since moving to Bristol Rovers on loan. Town have just appointed Adam Mahoney who was at Bristol Rovers as Assistant head of recruitment, who would have been involved in recruiting Vale to Rovers last season. 2 goals and 5 assists last season in 39 appearances is not amazing but was an important year in his development as he struggled to make a mark at Hull the year prior. If Town can make a deal work to bring Vale in permanently, then it could be a fantastic bit of business, or even a loan with an option to buy. Just depends if they can make the financials work on the deal, or convince Vale to make the move.

Tom Edwards, free agent, right wing back

Just saying, he's a free agent, part of the Beswicks Sports agency.

I did feel sorry for him last season, technically there and arguably better than most in the squad on the ball, but off it is where he struggled. The Leeds game where he was up against Summerville was like listening to Matt Le Tissier - an uncomfortable experience.

I think it said a lot about him as a person that he started the final game of the season, wish him the best in the future!

Conclusions

As I said in the introduction to this piece, Town need a new wing back on each side. On the right, my first choice would be Lasse Sorensen as I think he is a really talented option, he knows League 1 and he still has levels to go in terms of development (and off previous experience wing backs from Lincoln are quite good). On the left hand side,

I think Harvey Vale is a great option, but it will be a tricky one to complete a deal for; Ipswich signed Leif Davies at this level, so it is clearly possible to sign players of that quality if you can make the deal work. Onyedinma and Cadden would be solid pickups on free transfers, while Jodi Jones stock is rightfully high in the EFL, so he may be a bit too expensive.