Brexit forces Huddersfield Town into South American market with Flamengo duo top of shopping list

Forward Danny Grant will join from Bohemian when the transfer window opens on January 4, but the Terriers have also been linked with Brazilians Lincoln and Yuri de Oliveria, a Flamengo striker and midfielder respectively.

When Britain’s transition period after leaving the European Union ends on New Year’s Eve, it will change the way transfers can be done, with stricter criteria around work permits for European players.

Post-Bosman, European players have enjoyed freedom of movement when moving to English football but now all potential signings are on an equal footing. Foreign players cannot be signed until they are 18 with no more than three under-21s permitted per window, and work permits will be awarded on a points-based system judging international and clubs appearances weighted according to the footballing strength of those countries.

Corberan, who as coach has an input on transfers but no more than that, thinks it will open up the South American market.

“The market has changed a little bit in England,” he said. “This is going to affect all the clubs. Now, South America perhaps becomes a more important market.
“As a club, what we need to be is open to analyse the world and especially the new possibilities that appear because some previous possibilities may now disappear.
“We need to be ready to analyse all possibilities.”

Corberan expects Grant to remain at Canalside rather than be loaned out for the second half of the season, as their new B team set-up is designed to help make the jump up to Championship level.

“We are going to analyse the situation to see how we can help him and how he can help us,” said the Spaniard. “But I think it would be best for him to stay with us to try to adapt to the philosophy and culture that we have at the club. We need to give him stability before we make any type of decision. Danny is a very young player, but someone with a lot of skills.
We know he will need to adapt and continue his development process. As soon as we see he is ready to help the first team, then we can do that. He is going to need some time.”

Corberan’s appointment in the summer was part of a change of emphasis at Huddersfield.

They came away from their coaching/director of football model in September 2019 to appoint Danny Cowley. The Londoner insisted on the job title of manager, and was keen to have more involvement in transfers.

He left at the end of the season partly because the Terriers wanted head of football operations Leigh Bromby to take the lead on recruitment. His successor Corberan was consulted over Grant’s signing, but only after the recruitment team put a range of options to him.

There has been an emphasis on bringing through young players with the likes of Josh Koroma and Demeaco Duhaney and academy graduates Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Ryan Schofield playing more prominent roles this season.

Not that recruitment has been completely ignored, and the injury problems which have restricted summer signing Danny Ward to two Championship starts have left Fraizer Campbell as the only specialist senior centre-forward, hence the signing of Grant and the reported interested in Lincoln.

“I trust a lot in the work that Leigh Bromby, and the people he works with, does,” said Corberan.

“Before I arrived at the club they did a very good job, for example in the last year bringing in the likes of (Emile) Smith-Rowe, (Nathan) Chalobah and (Chris) Willock (loaned from Arsenal, Chelsea and Benfica respectively). They were very smart seeing what kind of players can help the club.

“I work every day with Leigh Bromby analysing the improvements we can make. We both want exactly the same. We understand how we can continue to grow.

“I enjoy my relationship with him and his people a lot.

“If you start to recruit without the advice of a coach, that can create problems. That’s why we need to be close.
I didn’t participate in the (shortlisting) of him (Grant) but I’ve watched him enough to trust the work the recruitment team are doing.”

Huddersfield are at Barnsley on Boxing Day, when they will have first-choice goalkeeper Ben Hamer fit after injury.

Ward, though, will not figure until the new year.

“We know we are going to play three matches in a row (over Christmas) but I expect when that finishes he will train with the group,” said Corberan.

“We have to show a bit of caution. I hope he can hit his normal physical levels because it’s something he hasn’t been able to do enough (this season).”

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