Huddersfield Town closing in on ex-Hearts man after Nottingham Forest's Ross Wilson rejection | OneFootball

Reports suggest that Huddersfield Town are set to offer a contract to a new and highly experienced sporting director.

Huddersfield Town are set to offer a contract to ex-Hearts sporting director Joe Savage, according to reports.

The Terriers are set to bring in a Mark Cartwright replacement as part of big changes which have been taking place at the club since the end of a disappointing season.

The Terriers appointed Lee Grant as their new manager at the end of May, having sacked former incumbent Michael Duff in March, with club legend Jon Worthington stepping in to manage the first team through to the end of the 2024/25 season.

But this isn't the only change to have come about at The John Smith's Stadium over the last couple of months. The aforementioned Cartwright was sacked as the club's sporting director at the end of April after two seasons with the club, and it's now confirmed who's likely to replace him.

Huddersfield had five managers during Cartwright's short period with the club, and four of those came during their calamitous 2023-24 season, which ended with them finishing second from bottom in the Championship and getting relegated.

Joe Savage identified as new sporting director for Huddersfield Town after Ross Wilson rejection

Journalist Alan Nixon has reported that Huddersfield have settled on Joe Savage as Cartwright's replacement as they rebuild following a disappointing season in League One, and that they're set to offer him a three-year contract in order secure his services.

They were previously in for Nottingham Forest chief football officer Ross Wilson in what would have been an incredibly ambitious move, but the 41-year-old decided to turn down Town's advances, forcing them to move on to Savage.

Savage is highly experienced, having previously worked with Norwich and Preston as a chief scout, and is described by Nixon as having "extensive contacts" within the game.

He was last involved in football north of the border, at Hearts. He left Tynecastle at the end of the 2023/24 season after three-and-a-half years in the sporting director job at Tynecastle.

Savage later recounted how fan abuse had been part of the reason for him leaving the club. One of his most significant achievements while at the club was helping to get the club into European competition for three successive seasons; the first time in the club's history they'd managed that.

Joe Savage's experience and contacts could help Lee Grant to have smooth transition to management

With a new manager and a soon-to-be new sporting director, Huddersfield Town will look very different next season.

Lee Grant's appointment by Huddersfield at the end of May could be considered a bit of a gamble, considering that this is his first managerial position, but his coaching record is impressive, having been a first-team coach at Ipswich Town under Kieran McKenna on their journey from League One to the Premier League.

It's not difficult to see how a coach who went on that journey would appeal to a club looking to make a similar journey themselves.

If Joe Savage can use his extensive contacts within the game to Huddersfield's advantage this summer, the Terriers could go into the new season optimistic that next season could end on a lighter note than the 2024/25 one did.