Huddersfield Town have yet to make a signing in this shortened gap between seasons so I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the current squad.
Here’s a run through all the players we currently have in the first team squad (as listed on the club’s website) and what I’d like to happen with them this transfer window. As the title suggests, this is all just my speculation and isn’t based upon any insider knowledge.
Goalkeepers
Ryan Schofield – Could be loaned out to gain experience as he’s at a stage in his career when he needs to be getting more game time. It all depends on whether Carlos Coberán thinks he is ready to be Town’s first choice keeper. Personally, I’d like to see him given a chance. If we’re going to start trusting our youth players more, he seems like a prime candidate to play more.
Ben Hamer – Confidence is a huge factor for keepers and I can’t see Hamer being able to regain his confidence in a Huddersfield Town shirt after the difficulties he’s had here. He played plenty of minutes for Derby last season, so I can imagine other clubs would be interested in him despite some of the high profile howlers he’s made. I’d say it would be better for both him and the club if he moved on this transfer window.
Defenders
Harry Toffolo – Having only signed in January, I can’t see Toffolo moving anywhere. Unless the Cowley brothers get a job quickly and want to bring a familiar face to their new club. He could end up being to the Cowley brothers what Kevin Nolan was to Sam Allardyce and Paddy Kenny is to Neil Warnock (expect him to turn up at Middlesborough any minute).
Tommy Elphick – Coming back from a nasty injury at an advanced age but it’s expected he will be fit and competing for a place in team. I wouldn’t be stunned if he moved into a player-coach/coaching role at some point,.
Terence Kongolo – His performance at Bristol City away last season was disgusting to me, he looked like he was deliberately not trying. Danny Cowley’s recent comments on the players that didn’t want to play for the club seem to include him. I’d move him on if we can get some of our money back on him. However, if he wants a second chance then he’s got the ability to thrive under the new regime. I’ll just try to forget how badly he let the club down last season.
Richard Stearman – Likely to stay on after doing a decent job since his January arrival (ignoring his horror performance against Millwall in the final, meaningless game).
Christopher Schindler – He’s experienced a lot at Huddersfield Town over the last few seasons and it’s possible that he may want to move on to a new challenge. It would leave massive shoes to fill if he does leave but I wouldn’t expect the club to stand in his way.
Jaden Brown – I would like to see him stay on as our backup left back. Could be sent out on loan if another left-sided defender comes in but otherwise I’d keep him.
Florent Hadergjonaj – I’d like to see him sold but I have a sneaking suspicion that he will do better under a more attack-minded coach and may have a renaissance this coming season. If we’re playing with wingbacks that fly forward then he’ll be in his element. There are still question marks about his tendency to back peddle endlessly rather than make a tackle but with some coaching he could return to the form we saw in his first Premier League season.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green – There are rumours about other clubs being interested in him after an impressive loan spell at Swindon but I would hope to see him moved into our first team setup. Town need another centre back now Stankovic has gone, so I’d like to see him given a chance and see if he can form a partnership with Schindler.
Demeaco Duhaney – The fact he’s been offered a contract at Town shows the club feel he has a future. I don’t see him as a first choice right back but would be a useful backup.
Midfield
Jonathan Hogg – Like Schindler, it’s unknown whether he will be willing to pick himself up and fight for another season at Town. His experience and desire are important in the dressing room, so I hope he wants to stay for this new chapter at Huddersfield Town.
Juninho Bacuna – While he’s one of the most naturally talented players in the club, he’s also unpredictable. For that reason, I can’t see any bigger club being willing to come in with an offer for him. If he improves his mindset he could be a major asset to the club.
Adama Diakhaby – I’d like to see us cut our losses on him. His temperament is questionable and he doesn’t seem to look like he understands the basics of the game. Coaching may improve some of this but I think he’s had enough chances.
Isaac Mbenza – Similar to Diakhaby, time to move him on and free up the wage bill.
Reece Brown – I was excited to see what he could do when we signed him last summer but something didn’t click. He must have done well enough out on loan because Peterborough want him permanently. I suspect we’ll sell if the right offer comes in.
Alex Pritchard – I can’t see any other club being interested in him given his performances over the last couple of seasons. I hope he’s given a chance to show what he’s capable of but the club’s commitment to playing 4-3-3 means he’ll have to adapt to a new position to get game time.
Lewis O’Brien – Lately, the club’s Twitter account seems to be love bombing him in an attempt to make him say with almost hourly tweets of praise. He was our best player last season and I hope we keep him. He will probably want to play in the Premier League before too long but I think another season in the Championship with Town will be best for his development.
Matty Daly – He spent last season on the fringes of the first-team without getting on the pitch very much. With hindsight, a season-long loan in League One or Two would have been better for his development. I haven’t seen enough of him to know if he’s ready for the Championship but a loan spell abroad or further down the league might be a better introduction to mens’ football.
Ramadan Sohbi – There have been rumours linking him with a move to Italy. No Town fan will be sad to see him go and even less so if we get most of our money back on him.
Forwards
Karlan Grant – Sadly, he’s likely to move on this transfer window. Officials at Town have confirmed that he wants to move away and it’s likely there will be plenty of suitors out there. His goals kept us up this season and we’re likely to make a tidy profit on him, so I suppose we can’t complain.
Josh Koroma – He’s quick and looks like he could be a good player but he’s not produced when given chances at Town this season. It may be that a new coach can unleash his best football and he breaks into the team. Given the lack of options if we move on more expensive flops, I can see him being kept to add depth to the squad.
Frazier Campbell – I think he’ll be likely to stay but may not be our first-choice striker. Goals have not been a problem for him when he’s played at other clubs but last season he didn’t score enough for Town. His high-tempo pressing is likely to suit Corberán’s vision, so I can see him playing a part.
Steve Mounié – I think we may try to move him on because he won’t fit in with the new approach Town are looking to bring in. He’s awesome in the air but slow on the ground and doesn’t run the channels in the same way as Campbell. He could be kept on as a Plan B to bring on if things aren’t going to plan but I suspect he’s too expensive to have merely as a backup option.
In summary
Schofield – Keep
Hamer – Move on
Toffolo – Keep
Elphick – Keep (or move into coaching)
Kongolo – Sell
Stearman – Keep
Schindler – Keep (or sell if he wants to leave)
J. Brown – Keep
Hadergjonaj – Sell
Edmonds-Green – Keep
Duhaney – Keep
Hogg – Keep (or sell if he wants to leave)
Bacuna – Keep
Diakhaby – Sell
Mbenza – Sell
R. Brown – Sell
Pritchard – Keep
O’Brien – Keep (if we can fend off offers from other clubs)
Daly – Loan out
Sohbi – Sell
Grant – Sell
Koroma – Keep
Campbell – Keep
Mounié – Sell
So, the answer to the question in the title is that around 14 players in the current squad will stay to the end of the transfer window if we do our business correctly. There is a lot of deadwood to move on, so we may get stuck with a few but hopefully the bulk of the flop players will be gone by the time the window closes in October.
Of course, that also means we need a significant number of players coming in the opposite direction. It should be a very interesting few weeks once the transfer market properly warms up.