Huddersfield Town News 24/7 

Huddersfield Town midfield transfer options analysed

15-06-24

The transfer window officially opened on Friday 14th June, so cue the shouts for Town to sign new players. It's likely that Town are going to need to get some players out before they are able to sign anyone, but you would think any competent director of football would have their signings and departures all lined up and it is a matter of executing the deals once ready...

Anyway, I've really enjoyed doing these sorts of articles in the past, but recruiting for the Championship is a lot different to recruiting for League 1. Previously if Town were going head to head with a club for a player, it was a question of: who offered more would sign the player, but now it's more challenging and it's a question of whether a player wants to come and play for Huddersfield in League 1?

I've tried to find a range of targets, some experienced, some in their prime, some up and coming and some who we might try and turn their career around. As I said before, there will be a question of whether a player is willing to play for us, and another of whether we can afford them. I think once we see a couple through the door, it will be a lot easier to understand the types of players who we will attract.

Dominic Ball, free-agent

Experience and mentality are so important in League 1 with the volume of games that are played. Rotherham's history of bouncing between the leagues has been built off this principle and so far this window, the Millers business has been the same. If Town want to replicate this or be serious about promotion, then they need experienced pros to steady the ship. Ball fits the bill after 2 seasons at Ipswich where he saw back-to-back promotions from League 1 and the Championship. Ball only managed 35 appearances over two seasons in East Anglia. He missed 18 games in League 1 through a knee injury and struggled to make regular appearances after.

Ball has been linked with a move to Town and although I think it would be a risk to sign someone who has not played over the last couple of years, I do get the logic behind signing him. To have someone who will have been around Ipswich over the previous two years, who has been on an incredible journey would be invaluable to Town who have been sliding in the opposite direction.

Marc Leonard, Brighton

Like Bojan Radulovic, Leonard signed for Brighton in 2018, however the Scottish youth international has spent the last two seasons at Northampton Town, but it seems that Albion is willing to let the 22-year-old leave for £300k. However if Town were to be interested, they face opposition in the form of Rangers and Portsmouth along with fellow relegated side Birmingham City.

5 goals and 6 assists and was the Northampton Town player of the season as Northampton secured their highest finish in 16 years. However, it is not just goals and assists, he is technically brilliant on the ball - he had the most touches in League 1 last season and a pass accuracy of 81.6%.

It is no secret that Town desperately needs to overhaul their midfield, along with going after a passing 8, I can't emphasise enough, how much I want Town to sign Leonard. A 22-year-old who had a great season in the same division the year before and being allowed to leave for under half a million is crazy. I think it would be quite a hard deal to get over the line given the number of other sides interested, but he would be my first choice.

Jack Cork, free-agent

I am aware that Town has not had a brilliant recent history of signing 30+ year olds from Burnley given how disappointing a signing Matt Lowton was. I have also been slightly critical of the Jonathan Hogg renewal, given his age and that Town needed a fresh leadership. Cork would be a huge signing for the dressing room: 304 Premier League appearances, 222 in the Championship and an England cap. He wouldn't play every game, but from an experience perspective, I think the guidance he would give would be invaluable. Alex Matos mentioned in an interview with Chelsea that he learnt a lot from Jonathan Hogg - so if Town were to sign a player like Cork, it could be a huge pull factor for young players.

Wages could be an issue, and Cork only played 120 minutes of football last season and given how much Lowton fell off in the 6 months he didn't play regular football for, for me I would look at trying to get him on trial before deciding whether to sign him.

Tom Bayliss, free-agent

Bayliss was linked with Town in the summer of 2019, but instead signed for Preston North End for £2 million. It didn't work out for Tom in Lancashire, with the former England U19 international who only made 21 appearances before a loan to Wigan and his contract being terminated and him signing a 2 year deal at Shrewsbury.

Although his career has not lived up to the early promise that was shown at Coventry, Bayliss has played 117 games in League 1 and has just turned 25.

I'm not sure he is up to the standard required, but he has experience, and it Town are able to unlock his early promise, then he still has time to develop into a decent player.

Chris Conn-Clarke, Altrincham

23 goals and 12 assists for any player is crazy, let alone for a central midfielder. CCC was player of the season in the National League last season. Having started his career as Burnley, Conn-Clarke made the move to the west coast at Fleetwood, but it was at Altrincham where it all clicked, he made 30 appearances across two loan spells, before a move a loan move to Ireland which wasn't as successful. Alty then signed Chris last summer for a club record fee, but a move to the football league is now very likely.

People will say: 'But he couldn't make it at Fleetwood' or 'He's in the National League', but he is one of the best players I have ever seen play in the National League. He has a very similar style of running with the ball to Jack Grealish and in my opinion, would make the step up effortlessly. Town are missing a ball-carrying midfielder and someone who can score from midfield (I know the same was said about Rudoni).

Conn-Clarke is going to be in demand this summer, given his stellar season last time out, so he will likely go for a significant fee which I am not sure Town can afford to compete on given they need to spend strengthing the starting 11, not the squad. I'd love Town to sign him as I think in a season or twos time, we will be kicking ourselves for not.

Lewis Wing, Reading

10 goals, 8 assists and a place in the League 1 team of the season and voted Reading's player of the season. At 28, and played 270 times in the professional game and 100 games in Non-league, Wing is experienced yet entering his prime years. A goal-scoring midfielder who has played the last 4 seasons at this level and was one of the shining lights in a dismal season for Reading. He is someone with flair, and a willingness to be decisive on the ball, which again is something that Town have been missing in the last couple of years. Lewis was involved in 26% of all Reading league goals last season, for reference Jack Rudoni was Town's midfielder with the most goal involvements last season - 5 goals, 3 assists which was an involvement rate of 17% of all goals. A goal-scoring midfielder is something that Town need to target this summer.

Wing has a further two seasons left on his contract at Reading, which will mean that Town will have to pay for The Royals reigning player of the season, but I think if Town can pay the right fee, Wing could be quite the coup.

Matty James, free-agent

Now I was certain that Andy King and Matty James are the same player, but I have been told that in fact, they are different. A player who has been a top professional throughout his career, with him making 322 professional appearances to date. At the age of 32, he has just come off the back of his most league appearances in his career with 37 for Bristol City. Over the last 3 seasons at Bristol City he has played 115 times and each of those league campaigns rank in his top 3 seasons for career minutes. He joins Andy King as being released from Bristol City in June 2024 (see they are the same player), so I would expect there to be interest in his services from the Championship and top-end League 1 side, albeit James has never played below the Championship in his career.

Luca Connell, Barnsley

Well, it wouldn't be a transfer targets article without putting in a player that the manager has worked with before! I am still not over the endless Robbie Gotts on loan links when Carlos Corberan took over - who now plays for checks notes: Barrow, so yes he would have been a great signing... and those links were not just lazy clickbait tripe... Rant over. Now given that Herbie Kane is going to be a Championship footballer following his release at Barnsley, it now leaves Luca Connell as the sacrificial player link, however, this is a more Harry Toffolo quality player, less Robbie Gotts. Connell missed a large portion of the early part of the season, meaning he only managed 24 league appearances last year and it's clear how important he was for the Tykes, losing 5 in 24 that he was available for, whereas it was 7 in 22 when he wasn't fit. On that point, availability has been an issue, at 23 years old he has only managed to play over 30 league games in a season once.

A good player, but it's likely that Barnsley will demand 7 figures, and for someone whose fitness has been an issue in the past, I think it would be a risk.

Who do I think Town should sign?

Now if there was any glamour left in signing players when Town were in the Championship, that has certainly now disappeared! However, that doesn't mean Town can't make smart signings. Marc Leonard would be my number-one signing - I think he has loads of potential and is of the standard to play in our first team now and if you are wanting to build for a long-term project, I think you want someone like this at the heart of it. Lewis Wing is also high on my list, someone who is in his prime and can produce magic out of nothing. Looking for experience, Jack Cork or Matty James would be excellent deals, James I think would be my preference given he is 2 years Cork's junior and has come off 3 seasons of consistent football. Then to finish off, as a project player: Chris Conn-Clarke, he's ridiculously good, and I am sure he will be playing at least League 1 next season, whether that be for us or against us. My only issue with Conn-Clarke is the fee that we would have to stump up for him, as Altrincham would want the fee to eclipse the amount they received over a decade ago for Duncan Watmore which was around £800k.

Oh no, I've just realised - and this is the most important part of any deal Town will do this summer, are any of these clients of Beswick Sports?

Answer: No. Sigh.