Huddersfield Town are in for a busy summer, with nine current players set to be out of contract at the culmination of the season.
The Terriers released centre-back Michal Helik and striker Kieran Phillips in the January window, both of whom were out of contract at the conclusion of the current season, but they are set to lose a significant portion of their squad if the Town management does not offer new contracts or cannot agree on terms.
Many of the current players on Huddersfield’s books whose contracts expire later this year are seasoned names, so it will be intriguing to see whether Michael Duff decides to keep them or take a more youthful approach next season – let’s have a look at who they are.
Josh Koroma
Winger Josh Koroma is the only player under 30 whose contract at John Smith’s Stadium expires this summer.
Barring a brief loan spell at Portsmouth at the start of the 2022/23 season, Koroma has been a regular in the Huddersfield team for the past six seasons, appearing in over 150 games.
He signed a two-year deal in July 2023, and many Huddersfield fans will be hopeful he can stay with the club beyond the 2024/25 season, despite playing much of the season as a left wing-back.
Tom Lees
Tom Lees had a historic career in the EFL, having made 485 Championship appearances for Yorkshire trio Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday, and subsequently Huddersfield Town, but 2024-25 will be his first season in League One after 13 years in the second tier of English football.
Tom Lees’ Championship Appearances – As Per Transfermarkt
Club
Appearances
Sheffield Wednesday
249
Leeds United
123
Huddersfield Town
113
Despite turning 34 in November, Lees has made significant contributions in his first season in League One, giving Huddersfield hope of returning to the second tier at the first attempt.
If Huddersfield is promoted this season, Lees may be able to sign a one-year contract and become only the third player to play 500 games in the second tier.
Jonathan Hogg
Huddersfield’s current captain, Jonathan Hogg, is in his 12th season at the John Smith’s Stadium and is the only current Terriers player who has played in the Premier League in the previous two seasons.
This season, his output has dropped and he has spent more time outside the starting lineup under Michael Duff’s guidance, which could herald the end of the Huddersfield icon.
Many Huddersfield fans would like to see Hogg retire at the club, so it will be intriguing to see what his next steps are if he leaves at the conclusion of this season.
Matty Pearson
Matty Pearson is the second centre-back on our list, and Huddersfield will want to keep him.
Pearson struggled to break into the starting lineup early this season, with his only League One appearance in the first seven games being a 39-minute bench cameo against Shrewsbury Town.
The rest of the season has shown why Huddersfield signed him from Luton Town. They activated a one-year extension at the conclusion of last season, and Huddersfield will be hoping to keep him after this season, given the threat he brings in both boxes.
Danny Ward
Since signing a two-year contract deal in June 2023, Ward has been relegated to impact bench roles with the club.
The veteran striker turned 34 in December, and it is evident that he will not approach the heights of his 2021/22 season, when he scored 14 goals to help Huddersfield reach the Championship play-off final.
Danny Ward’s Huddersfield Town League Stats – 2020-2024, As per Transfermarkt
Season
Appearances
Goals
2020/21
19
1
2021/22
40
14
2022/23
36
5
2023/24
21
3
If he signs an extension at the conclusion of the season, it will most likely be to continue his role as one of the squad’s major rotational veterans, but considering that he is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, Ward is unlikely to receive a new contract.
Ollie Turton
Turton has impressed since joining Huddersfield from Blackpool, but has struggled with injuries during his time at the John Smith’s Stadium.
An ACL and Meniscus injury forced him to miss 14 months of play from February 2023 to April 2024, and despite returning to full fitness this season, Michael Duff may keep this in mind when awarding him a new contract.
The BBC claimed that when Turton signed his last contract extension in 2022, the club had the option to extend until 2026, so that could be the path Huddersfield takes with the 32-year-old this summer.
Josh Ruffles
Josh Ruffels, a left-sided defender, is a player who is likely to leave this summer.
Ruffles missed the most of last season due to a groin injury, and he has made few appearances this season.
However, when it comes to Ruffles, a new contract is never out of the question, as the 31-year-old inked a new two-year agreement in the summer of 2023, despite being released by the team at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Chris Maxwell
Chris Maxwell was brought in as a backup to Lee Nicholls, but has since dropped to third-string due to the development of Jacob Chapman this season.
If the proper deal is made, 34-year-old Maxwell might stay, but goalkeepers in a squad role aren’t exactly hard to come by, so Huddersfield will most likely bring someone else in to fill that role for 2025-26.
Scott High
Scott High is currently on his third loan spell with National League club Halifax Town this season.
The 23-year-old has made 50 appearances for his parent club, however he has played for three different teams since his last Huddersfield game, an EFL Cup fixture against Middlesbrough in August 2023.
Perhaps a free transfer to a League Two club next season, or perhaps a permanent move to Halifax, is in the cards for High, but he is unlikely to stay with the Terriers.
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