After confirming Jack Rudino’s departure to Championship side Coventry City last week, Huddersfield Town will be looking to replace their creative midfielder before the new season.
The 23-year-old appeared in 35 games for the Terriers, scoring five goals and providing three assists. Here are five candidates that Huddersfield could consider to replace Jack Rudoni:
Davis Keillor Dunn, arguably the best player in League Two last season, was crucial to Mansfield Town’s promotion from League Two. The midfielder finished as the league’s fourth top scorer with 22 goals and 10 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions. He helped the Stags gain promotion to the third tier and was named to the League Two team of the season.
Rudoni would be ideal replaced by Keillor-Dunn. The 26-year-old, who is two-footed and had played League One football at Burton Albion previously, is mostly used in attacking midfield. The midfield player, who made 2.72 chances on average every 90 minutes the previous season, will inject creativity. He also shows a willingness to play defense, as evidenced by his 68.2% tackle success rate.
Given their promotion to League One, Mansfield’s reluctance to part with their star player makes sense. But with just a year left on his contract, Huddersfield could be able to put Mansfield to the test after paying a hefty fee for Rudoni.
Herbie Kane – Free Agent
When Herbie Kane’s contract with Barnsley expires on June 30, he will no longer be an exclusive agent. The former Liverpool academy player is probably considering a move up the ladder, but Huddersfield may be able to persuade him to stay in League One thanks to a reunion with former manager Michael Duff.
During the previous season, the midfielder contributed 15 goals to Barnsley’s total of 47 games played across all competitions. Kane’s 10 goals and 5 assists helped the Yorkshire team qualify for the play-offs, but after losing to Bolton in the semifinals, he was unable to conclude his career in South Yorkshire with promotion.
After confirming Jack Rudoni’s transfer to Championship team Coventry City last week, Huddersfield Town will be looking to replace their creative midfield player prior to the start of the upcoming campaign.
With five goals and three assists in 35 games, the 23-year-old was a member of the Terriers. The following five players are potential replacements for Jack Rudoni that Huddersfield may consider:
Keillor-Dunn, Davis – Mansfield Town
Davis Keillor Dunn, who was arguably the best player in League Two the previous season, was essential to Mansfield Town’s promotion from the division. The midfield player made 51 appearances across all competitions, tallying 10 assists while finishing as the fourth-highest goal scorer in the league with 22 goals. He assisted the Stags in moving up to the third
Kenneth Aboh – (contract discussions ongoing)
While not a direct replacement, this person could produce an offensive output akin to that of Jack Rudoni. This transfer will depend on the ongoing contract negotiations at Norwich City, but it would be beneficial for all sides for the 19-year-old to go on loan.
Aboh has only made one first team appearance, so he hasn’t had much time to hone his skills, but he clearly has talent. Last season, he made 22 appearances for the Norwich City academy across all competitions, tallying 15 goals. The 19-year-old was originally a winger before being converted to a striker, but he possesses the raw skills to play in an attacking midfield role behind a number nine.
With his skill set, Aboh can now receive the ball deep, go one-on-one with defenders, and dominate playmaking. When he joined the Canaries in March, former manager David Wagner gave him high marks:
“He is super interesting for me, with everything what I’ve seen from him in training, and then the games, I really like him”
Although Huddersfield Town may not want to replace Rudoni with a loan player, there’s no denying that Aboh has what it takes to be a potent offensive threat for a League One team. The Terriers might use Abu Kamara’s loan move to Portsmouth as a model for what could happen if they were to loan out another talented Norwich City academy graduate.
Charlie Lakin – Free Agent
Charlie Lakin was released by Burton Albion at the end of the season, and he is now available on a free transfer. The midfield player was featured in this article during his stint at Sutton United in the second half of the season, although he began the previous campaign on loan at AFC Wimbledon.
Lakin’s impact is evident in his wins of the Sutton player of the season and club awards. After joining the U’s in January, he made 21 appearances and contributed 5 assists and 8 goals. Lakin offered a creative spark, producing 2.22 opportunities every ninety minutes on average.
The 25-year-old has made ten appearances for Birmingham City in the Championship and has previously played in League One while at Burton Albion. After his significant tenure in South London, Lakin’s inclusion on the released list somewhat disappointed Brewers supporters.
Lakin can play as the number 10 option behind the striker or further forward in a midfield partnership. His average of 2.77 accurate long balls and 1.94 shots per ninety minutes demonstrate his ability to unsettle opposition defenses and put opposition goalkeepers to the test. Though he might require some time to catch up with League One football again, Lakin is undoubtedly a creative player with a high ceiling given his advanced age and availability as a free agent.
Ethan Chislett – Port Vale
Considering the season he had with a struggling Port Vale team, Ethan Chislett might be a viable option.
Chislett, who joined Vale from AFC Wimbledon last summer, had a successful season for the Staffordshire team despite Vale’s relegation back into League Two. The midfielder, who was born in South Africa, primarily occupied the attacking midfield position.
Despite playing for a team that finished 23rd, the 25-year-old made 54 appearances for Port Vale and scored 9 goals and assisted 7 others. David Flitcroft, who signed Chislett from AFC Wimbledon last year, said the following about him:
“a player that loves to find space in between midfield players and defenders. His timing of runs into the box to create goal scoring opportunities is outstanding”.
Even though he doesn’t have as much experience as the other candidates to replace Rudoni, the 25-year-old still has room to grow in a better team after showing promise in a struggling Port Vale team. With a relegated Port Vale team, the 25-year-old created 1.38 chances and took 2.20 shots per ninety minutes. This suggests that he could contribute more to a Huddersfield team that will probably be competing at the top of League One.
