One to watch for Huddersfield Town: Laurent Depoitre
The road from Porto to Huddersfield is one less-travelled but Terriers boss David Wagner has been a left-field thinker since day one in Yorkshire, so perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s raided the Portuguese giants.
Belgian striker Laurent Depoitre is the man he’s brought from the Iberian Peninsula to the John Smith’s Stadium to spearhead the club’s first crack at Premier League football.
The 28-year-old has signed a contract until the summer of 2019, with Huddersfield having the option of a further year’s extension, and while he may not a recognisable name to most supporters just yet, he looks perfectly placed to quickly become a fan favourite.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Physical specimen
Shelling out a club record fee for a player with no experience of the English game may appear risky, but Depoitre looks ideally built for the rigours of the Premier League.
Standing at 6ft 3in, the centre-forward is renowned for holding off defenders and bringing his teammates into play.
The one-cap Belgium international – who scored in the 4-1 victory over Andorra in October 2015 in his only appearance – is also strong in the air and has proved he has a nose for goal.
Depoitre scored 26 times in 67 games for Gent, including once in the Champions League against Zenit St Petersburg, and that form earned him a move to Porto for 6m euros last summer.
He struggled for playing time at Estadio do Dragao – with the likes of Jesus Corona, Andre Silva and Soares the preferred options of boss Nuno – and netted just twice in 13 appearances.
So a fresh start at Huddersfield could be just what the doctor ordered.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Something different
Despite their promotion to the Premier League, the Terriers consistently struggled for goals last term; they notched just 56 in their 46 league matches.
Elias Kachunga, who normally operates on the right flank, was top scorer with 12 goals, while main striker Nakhi Wells bagged ten.
Both Kachunga and Wells’ main asset is pace, so Depoitre offers a refreshing physicality as a target man – and has been likened to Crystal Palace’s Belgian star Christian Benteke by media outlets in his homeland, thanks to his power and strength.
It remains to be seen exactly how he fits into life in the Premier League but Terriers boss Wagner is convinced the big man with a degree in Civil Engineering is set up for success.
“He is a proper striker; one who has played for a very good Belgium side, featured in elite European competition and who has won domestic titles,” said the German.
“It is great news that we have had the opportunity to sign a player of his quality and now we will focus on getting him back to the top form he showed only a season ago.
“He scores goals and is a real worker too, so he will fit the ‘Terriers identity’ very well. His attitude on the pitch is exactly what we need, plus he is a very good character off the field too.”
