Lee Grant’s hands were tied with Huddersfield Town weapon - he could explode under Liam Manning | OneFootball

The new Huddersfield Town boss could benefit from a returning player

Liam Manning has now replaced Lee Grant at Huddersfield Town, and the new boss may have an advantage the outgoing man never had.

Under Grant, the Terriers moved to sign exciting young prospect Will Alves, but he suffered a freak injury, which has limited his game time.

As the changing of the guard happens in the dugout at the Accu Stadium, however, Alves back to full match fitness.

The timing could provide a huge boost to Manning’s start at Huddersfield.

Will Alves has been out with “freak” foot injury for most of the season

Signed to much excitement at the end of the summer transfer window, on a season-long loan from Leicester City, Alves has not been able to make the desired impact in Huddersfield.

That’s because just weeks after the official announcement of the temporary switch, he was forced to have surgery on a “freak” foot injury.

At the time, Grant confirmed it was going to be “months rather than weeks” as Alves recovered, but that time has now elapsed to coincide with Manning’s arrival.

The Foxes starlet managed just four appearances before he was forced onto the sidelines, scoring with his first touch in the league, but now looks ready to impact the second half of the season.

Will Alves has started back well after injury

In the middle of January, Alves made his first start in a 3-0 Huddersfield win against Rotherham United in the Vertu Trophy.

He scored and was described as being at his “free-flowing best” by LeicestershireLive after the game.

Alves also spun away from his marker at another point in the game, advancing towards goal and seeing his effort tipped onto the bar.

It was an exciting start, but a 3-1 loss to Burton Albion in his next match was perhaps the leveller he needed as a reminder that getting back into the swing of things in the third tier was going to be no easy task, not managing a shot on target, but creating two chances.

Nevertheless, his performance against Rotherham showed glimpses of what he’s capable of.

Manning could have been walking into an altogether different picture after the sale of attacking midfielder Leo Castledine, who had been on loan at the Accu Stadium from Chelsea during the first half of the season, before being recalled and sold to Middlesbrough in January.

Castledine had undoubtedly been one of the Terriers’ best players and is still, as things stand, their top goalscorer, so would have been a massive loss to attempt to deal with as one of Manning’s first tasks.

But the return of Alves, who plays in a similar position, lessens that load and also the need to recruit for Castledine’s replacement this January.

The hope will be that Alves can pick up some of the slack left behind by the former Chelsea man, before Huddersfield look for a more permanent solution in the summer.

In Alves, Manning now has an exciting talent to work with, who remained unavailable for much of Grant’s time at the club.