So just who could be the new Lew at Town?
IF we had our way, Lewis O’Brien would be a Terrier until he retired at the ripe old age of 37, but the reality is Huddersfield Town must brace themselves for serious interest in the 22-year-old academy graduate over the summer transfer window.
The midfielder has just one more year left on his deal at the John Smith’s Stadium and is believed to have attracted the attention of a number of top-flight clubs, including Burnley, Newcastle United and newly-promoted Norwich City, with his player-of-the-year form last season and equally superb second half of this campaign.
If an irresistible offer were to arrive, Town would have a difficult time replacing him - but they would have to try and do it somehow. Here’s a few options for them to consider...
WING was one of the standout players for relegated Rotherham after joining on loan from Middlesbrough midway through the season, constantly creating chances for team-mates who just couldn’t put them away on top of scoring two for himself in his 20 appearances.
He is under contract at the Riverside until next summer. The fact they let him out on loan suggests he is not a part of Neil
Warnock’s plans. At 25, Wing might want a move somewhere he is more likely to get regular minutes, saying: “I’m at the stage of my career now where I’ve just got to kick-on. I’m 25 and I’m starting a family. The next part of my career is massive.”
WHEN we did our scouting report on the then-Derby County man ahead of his return to Town, there was nobody he reminded us more of than 2019/20 Lewis O’Brien.
He’s great at winning the ball on the edge of his own box, riding a challenge to get past his man and then blazing into the opposition half before teeing-up a team-mate to finish off the move.
Holmes’ deployment in various wide roles under Carlos Corberan has meant we’ve not had the opportunity to see a whole lot of that out of him - his dribbling rate is less than half what it was at Derby last season, for a start.
Even if Holmes’ numbers since returning to Town don’t make a compelling case, his performances at Derby last season do.
If O’Brien were to go and Holmes got back to his best, he could prove to be a more than reasonable replacement for that crucial box-to-box role.
Holmes, however, doesn’t offer quite as much in the final third, so adding a more creative option to the squad to play either alongside or instead of him would be crucial.