Why Huddersfield Town should cash in on Florent Hadergjonaj in January
According to Examiner Live, Huddersfield Town defender Florent Hadergjonaj is the subject of interest from Turkish giants Fenerbahce, who sent their scouts to keep an eye on the 25-year-old during Kosovo’s 2-0 victory over Montenegro during the recent international break.
The same report claims that Fenerbahce are currently on the lookout for a new right-back in January, with Mauricio Isla and Nabil Dirar approaching the end of their contracts and the Turkish heavyweights have identified Hadergjonaj as someone who fits the bill perfectly.
The Kosovan international rose to prominence with BSC Young Boys in Switzerland and impressed at Ingolstadt in the German Bundesliga before joining Huddersfield Town in 2017, initially on loan with an option to buy, which was later exercised by the Terriers in 2018 after David Wagner successfully steered them to top-flight safety.
The right-back, who was one of the mainstays of the Terriers’ first-team in the previous campaign as the club faced relegation from the Premier League, retained his designation as the first-choice in the first couple of months heading into the ongoing season in the Championship, playing every minute of the first 8 rounds.
However, he has been usurped by Danny Simpson in the pecking order following the veteran’s arrival at the John Smith’s Stadium as a free agent last month, with the 32-year-old getting the nod ahead of Hadergjonaj in the last three league fixtures heading into the international break.
New manager Danny Cowley has managed to breathe some life back into the Terrier’ campaign following a nightmarish start, steering the club out of the relegation zone for the time being after back-to-back victories over Stoke City and Hull City.
As a matter of fact, Simpson has made an instant impact at the John Smith’s Stadium by adding a sense of stability to a backline that had creaked far too often during the first couple of months.
Huddersfield conceded as many as 17 goals in their first 8 league fixtures but they have shipped only one in their last three outings, including clean sheets against Stoke and Hull, figures which clearly highlight the kind of impact a veteran like Simpson has had on the morale of the side.
As for Hadergjonaj, he is still under contract in West Yorkshire until the summer of 2021 but with Fenerbahce sniffing around to swoop for him in January, the 25-year-old might be tempted to complete a move to Turkey in order to challenge for silverware.
To put things into perspective, Huddersfield Town have already found an upgrade on Florent Hadergjonaj in that right-back role, with Simpson establishing himself as the first-choice and cashing in on the 25-year-old could be a smart piece of business for the Terriers.
Agreed, Simpson, 32, isn’t going to be a long-term solution but the former Premier League winner with Leicester City has already proven that he has still got the legs to cut the mustard in the Championship.
Truth be told, Simpson might not be a dazzling modern-day attacking full-back but he has looked a lot more secure defensively as compared to Hadergjonaj.
Furthermore, Hadergjonaj is unlikely to stick around at the John Smith’s Stadium is Huddersfield fail to challenge for promotion back to the Premier League in the near future and offloading him for a sizeable fee in January would certainly boost the club’s transfer kitty.
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Verdict
With all the attackers apart from Karlan Grant misfiring in the ongoing campaign, the Terriers should make it a priority to bring in a new centre-forward in January and getting the right-back off the books could certainly aid reinvestment to improve the forward line.
Hence, cashing in Florent Hadergjonaj during the mid-season trading period looks like a fair settlement for all parties involved.