Football League World
·9 January 2023
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Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·9 January 2023
Huddersfield Town striker Danny Ward is open to signing a new contract at the John Smith’s Stadium to extend his stay at the club beyond the summer, according to Alan Nixon.
The 32-year-old was in top form for the West Yorkshire outfit last season under Carlos Corberan, scoring 14 goals in 40 league appearances and proving to be a key figure behind the Terriers’ promotion push.
Unfortunately, he has been unable to score at the same rate this season, registering just three goals in 23 displays with the club’s poor attacking record contributing to their current fight against relegation.
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With just 24 goals in 25 league games to their name, they will be looking to Ward to improve their goals-to-game ratio, though his future remains unclear with his deal expiring at the end of the campaign.
Those that want to see him remain at his current club will be concerned about Nixon’s claim that several clubs are interested in taking him off the Terriers’ hands, despite the fact he hasn’t been able to make as much of an impact this season as he was able to last term.
The player is “open” to staying at the club though, providing Mark Fotheringham’s side with a real boost during a poor season.
The Verdict:
It may be worth offloading one of Ward or Jordan Rhodes in the summer to make room for younger forwards, with the club seeming to be keen to promote younger players including midfielder Etienne Camara.
Tyreece Simpson could benefit from a departure in the forward department to provide him with more game time – and Kyle Hudlin’s pathway to first-team football may also become simpler.
However, Hudlin could potentially benefit from another loan spell away from the John Smith’s Stadium at some point and this is why Fotheringham or a potential successor needs to ensure they have enough depth up top.
They are certainly in need of players who are proven at this level and this is why it was puzzling to see Florian Kamberi sign for the club, though he was a cheap option and that’s probably one reason why the Terriers moved for him.
Keeping Ward would probably be wise at this point considering how well he did last season. He may not be scoring as much as he did during the 2021/22 campaign – but there’s every chance he could return to the form that saw him contribute heavily to their previous promotion push.