Huddersfield Town opinion: Terriers should sign Ashley Williams in the summer

According to the Examiner Live, Aston Villa and Huddersfield Town are amongst the teams that are interested in signing Welsh defender Ashley Williams from Everton.

Williams, who has spent time loan at Stoke City in the Championship this season, has also been linked with a move to the Major League Soccer in the United States, with DC United and New York City weighing up a move for the 34-year-old centre-back (h/t Examiner Live).

The veteran has made a total of 36 appearances for the Potters in all competitions after being shipped out on loan by new Everton manager Marco Silva last summer and it is doesn’t look like he will be handed a new contract at Goodison Park, with his current deal set to expire in the summer.

Williams made a total of 352 appearances for Swansea City in all competitions before making a move to Everton in the summer of 2016.

He hit top gear in his first season with the Toffees and helped the club qualify for the Europa League before a series of poor displays in the previous campaign put an end to his time at Merseyside.

As things stand, Williams would be a good signing for both Aston Villa and Huddersfield Town, though a move to the MLS is also a possibility, as he nears the end of his illustrious career.

However, Villa are already in the promotion playoff places and it would be a surprise if the Lions pursue a deal for him if they manage to make it back to the top-flight.

Huddersfield, on the other hand, should be a more ideal destination for the 34-year-old Welshman, as the Terriers set their sights on securing promotion back to the top-flight in the first time of asking, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Williams has shown that he still has plenty of gas left in his tank to make an impact at the Championship level and Jan Siewert’s side should look to beat off competition from their rivals in a bid to land the hugely-experienced centre-back.

David Wagner managed to steer the club to safety in the Premier League last season with his intelligence and charisma but the Terriers have endured a torrid time in the top-flight this time around.

Huddersfield are set to finish rock bottom of the Premier League standings this term, having managed only 3 wins throughout the campaign, conceding a total of 74 goals in the process.

The centre-back pairing of Christopher Schindler and Mathias Jorgensen did an excellent job last season but they have crumbled under pressure, more often than not, this time around. However, one would expect them to find their feet back once the team returns to compete in the Championship.

Both of them are quality defenders and are still pretty much in their prime years as centre-backs, though it remains to be seen whether they would be prepared to stick around in the Championship.

Huddersfield also have the services of Jan Gorenc Stankovic to rely upon but the Slovenian hasn’t looked too confident when he has been on the pitch.

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Ashley Williams, with his good understanding of the game, top-flight experience, physicality and aerial ability, should be an excellent addition to Huddersfield’s defensive ranks.

Undoubtedly, a player of his calibre can add a lot of value to any promotion-chasing side in the Championship, both on and off the field. That said, the Terriers should go all out to sign him in the summer.