Huddersfield Town must try seal Stoke City deal after Potters' £4.8m switch | OneFootball

Nathan Lowe has no evident place in the Stoke squad for next season, as Huddersfield should plot a deal for the striker

Huddersfield Town will spend a third consecutive season in League One next year, having failed to mount a real push for promotion this time around, as preparations for the next campaign at the ACCU Stadium will have already begun.

It's not exactly been a memorable year in West Yorkshire for Huddersfield, certainly not positive memories, anyway.

There was optimism galore around the club when Lee Grant was appointed as the club's new head coach, with the former Manchester United and Derby County shot-stopper having worked under Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town, helping the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions from the third tier to the top flight.

Understandably, Huddersfield fans were hoping for a similar story with them, but things didn't exactly pan out that way, as Grant was dismissed in January and replaced by former Bristol City and Norwich City boss Liam Manning, who would subsequently be given compassionate leave for off-field issues before recently leaving the club.

A new boss is at the top of Huddersfield's priorities at the moment, before then shifting their focus to the summer transfer window ahead of them, as whoever is appointed should be looking to take advantage of Stoke City's striker situation with a return for a previous target.

Huddersfield should plot a move for Stoke City's Nathan Lowe after Potters' £4.8m Milan Smit deal

Huddersfield are not exactly short on striker options, but none have been able to nail down the starting berth at the ACCU Stadium as their own.

Alfie May joined from Birmingham City in the summer, having scored prolifically in the third tier for nearly half a decade previously, whilst Dion Charles, Rhys Healey, and Bojan Radulovic were also in the club's ranks.

Bobby Wales joined on loan from Swansea in January, as did Ryan Hardie from Wrexham, but with both set to return to their parent clubs, who will be leading the line for the Terriers next season is up in the air.

Whoever is appointed to lead the club into next campaign must consider carefully who they want to lead the line for Huddersfield, and in any instance, should consider a swoop for Stoke's Nathan Lowe.

Lowe enjoyed a breakthrough spell with Walsall during the first half of the 2024/25 season, scoring 15 and assisting five in 22 league games at the Bescott Stadium before being recalled by the Potters that January, where he found his playing time to be limited.

The 20-year-old has since gone out on loan to both Stockport County and Wycombe Wanderers in League One this campaign, scoring seven in 31 League One appearances across both clubs.

However, prior to his loan move to Stockport, Huddersfield were one of several clubs interested in his services, as per Alan Nixon, and should be looking to reignite that interest this summer.

Stoke have each of Robert Bozenik, Sam Gallagher, Emre Tezgel, and Milan Smit permanently contracted to the club, the latter of which recently saw his loan move from Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles turn permanent for around £4.8 million.

With Lowe's current deal with the Potters not set to expire until the summer of 2028, where his immediate future lies is unclear, and whether he will play any role at Stoke next campaign remains to be seen.

Bozenik will almost certainly have a role to play, having joined from Boavista last summer, whilst the Potters will struggle to shift Sam Gallagher's £25k per week wages, as estimated by Capology, off the books.

Tezgel had a promising loan spell with Crewe Alexandra in League Two, but is not expected to play a role in the first team next season, whilst Smit will likely be attempting to justify his fee heading into the new season, after a slow start to life in England.

Lowe could be available, either for loan or permanently this summer, and Huddersfield must consider swooping in and taking advantage of Stoke's striker conundrum.

Huddersfield have a huge summer ahead and should begin their transfer business with Nathan Lowe move

Having finished eight points adrift the play-offs in 9th place, it's been a hugely disappointing year for Huddersfield, who were considered among the favourites for promotion at the beginning of the campaign.

Manning's recent unfortunate departure isn't exactly ideal, but it gives the club a clean slate of plans heading into the summer, where it is imperative they make the correct appointment.

There is set to be a huge degree of turnover with incomings and outgoings over the next few months in terms of the playing squad, as the Huddersfield hierarchy must ensure that they do not become weaker as a result.

Signing Lowe would signify a statement of intent from the Terriers, and they should look to get this deal over the line swiftly.