Huddersfield Town News 24/7 

5 left wingers for Huddersfield Town to consider

14/06/2022

Town only have Josh Koroma and Duane Holmes under contract as left-wingers for 2022/23 season and with the former's future unknown, Town should be looking to bolster this area.

Here are my 5 targets that Huddersfield should be considering:

Neeskens Kebano

A player that falls into the category of top end championship but just not good enough for the Premier League. Kebano has been a part of 3 promotions to the Premier League with Fulham, although only played 12 times in the two seasons he has been in the Premier League with Fulham. The 31 time DR Congo international primarily plays on the left wing, although can be used on the right flank, although starting his career as a number 10. Last season for Fulham was his most prolific at Craven Cottage, 9 goals and 6 assists in 40 games, where he played 2724 minutes - the most minutes he ever made in a single season in a Fulham shirt. At the age of 30, it is unlikely that Kebano will be seen as a long-term part of the project under Marco Silva at Fulham (not that Silva is likely to have a long-term future either...). His deal expires at Fulham at the end of the 2023 season, so a loan or permanent deal could be an option for Town. The only reservation I have on Kabano is that he is likely to come in on high wages, unlikely to improve, and probably only has one or two seasons left at a top Championship level.

22 goals and 18 assists in 128 championship games is a very underrated return. Last season, Kebano averaged 0.34xG per game from a total of 69 shots, for comparison Josh Koroma averaged 0.23xG per game from a total of 61 shots. Both Kebano and Koroma are high-volume shooters with both averaging more than 2 shots per game, but Kebano takes his shots from positions that are more likely to produce a goal. It must also be considered that Fulham's squad is much better than Huddersfield's is, and are a team that scored 42 more goals than Town did last year, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Kebano did so well.

I think Town should pursue a season long loan for Neeskens, as a permanent deal would be difficult to justify in the long term.

Tom Lawrence

Having played in the Championship since 2014, there are fewer people with the experience that Lawrence has. At the age of 28 on a free transfer, Lawrence would be a smart pickup from Town. There is Premier League and Scottish interest in Lawrence, so Town would likely not be able to offer as competitive wages but would offer more playing time.

The obvious reservation with Lawrence is his attitude, crashing his car as a result of drink driving at Derby is not necessarily a great addition to a dressing room that is so positive at the moment.

Having been appointed captain of Derby last season, the Welsh international managed 11 goals and 5 assists in 38 games last season. He contributed to 38% of all of Derby's goals last year. Again, he is a high-volume shooter like Koroma, averaging 2.7 shots per game, while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game.

Lawrence was used 12 times as a number 10 last year scoring once and registering two assists. With those numbers being reversed in the 9 times he started up front last season. In the 16 times he played in any position on the left wide, he scored 8 goals and 2 assists. so clearly goalscoring wise he is better used out wide on the left.

Scott Twine

20 goals and 13 assists last season for MK Dons, who just fell short of promotion to the EFL Championship. Twine won the Sky Bet League 1 player of the season award, so unsurprisingly was also included in the team of the season.

Twine was involved in 43% of MK Dons' goals last season, which is a ridiculous return, considering that he went to the Stadium MK on a free last summer. Twine would be a very versatile addition, with the 22 year old having played 21 games as an attacking midfielder through the centre, 15 as a left winger, 8 games as a striker and then 2 as a right winger. Twine would be able to play anywhere in Town's front line and if Town were to continue with a 532, he would be a great second striker to Ward. When Twine played in that position last season he had 3 goals, and 2 assists in 5 games. He is also an excellent direct free-kick taker, with 6 of his goals last season being scored from a free-kick, while he has scored 10 in his entire career. Town are very good from set-pieces, but failed to score a direct free-kick in the whole of last season, so he would be a welcomed addition to Town's set-piece artillery.

With Matt O'Riley who left MK Dons in January to join Celtic due to having a release clause, it would not be a surprise if Twine was the same, and it is rumoured to be around £3 million. For this price, I think it is a no-brainer, slight-risk as he has never played at this level, but Ivan Toney was the same when Brentford signed him.

Jaidon Anthony

It was a breakthrough season for Jaidon Anthony last season with the former Arsenal youth player making 48 appearances in all competitions last season. 8 goals and 7 assists in 45 championship appearances, with all goal contributions coming in his 38 league starts for The Cherries.

Anthony averaged 1.6 key passes per game, while only Sorba Thomas (2.1) averaged more for Town, whereas Lewis O'Brien averaged second-most in the Town squad with 1 key pass per game. Town needs to work on chance creation in open play and Anthony could be a catalyst to change this.

A permanent deal for Anthony would be unlikely as Bournemouth would want a big fee for their number 32. A loan would therefore be the most likely option for Town to complete a deal. When watching Jaidon last season, he sometimes struggled to be clinical and in the Premier League, you have to take every chance. I feel that Anthony needs another season in the Championship and if Bournemouth was to give the green light for Anthony to leave, then Town should go in for him.

Oladapo Afolayan

Afolayan was named Bolton's player of the season in 2021-22, in his first season after signing on a permanent deal from West Ham. The former England C team player had an interesting youth career, 7 years at Chelsea, before moving to Toronto at 15 with his family. When he returned to England to go to study civil engineering at Loughborough University, he started to attract the attention of professional and semi-professional clubs. He spent 18 months at Solihull Moors in the National league where he scored 15 goals in 45 appearances. West Ham snapped him up in 2018 and spent 3 seasons on loan in the EFL before signing for Bolton permanently last year, he has 2 years left on his contract there, but is under interest from clubs such as Rangers after scoring 12 goals and 4 assists last season.

Another high-volume shooter, with 3.1 shots per game and 1.5 key passes per game. The right-footed winger scored 10 on his favoured foot, 2 on his left, while scoring 2 in the 6-yard box, 6 in the penalty area and 4 outside the box. He is another player that can play on the left or through the middle, so gives Town flexibility.

Bolton is not really under much pressure to sell him and probably would demand a fee in the region of £2-3 million, so it might be seen as too big of a risk seeing as he has only played one season at League 1 level.

If you enjoyed this article, why not check out my article on 5 right-wing-back options for Huddersfield to sign.