Summer Transfer Window 2024 - The Halfway Point Review.
Joel Grainger, Writer.
Twitter: @joelgraingerr
It’s the 22nd of July which means we are exactly halfway through the 2024 summer transfer window. So far, Town have welcomed four new faces through the door and waved goodbye to just a single first-team player. It’s been more of a mellow first half to the transfer window than we anticipated but that’s not necessarily a bad thing - it’s worked both for and against us. In this article, I take a look at every move conducted so far, both in and out. I’ll give each new addition an overall score using an incredibly unique, analytical scoring system… the 1-10 scale.
The Signings So Far
Lasse Sorensen
The transfer window started with a bang. Town moved quickly to secure a deal for Danish wingback, Lasse Sorensen. The previous campaign, Sorensen had been a standout player for Lincoln City as they narrowly missed out on a playoff position. Given his contract situation with the Imps, the 24-year-old only cost the Terriers around £450k. This seemed a small price to pay for one of the best wingbacks in the division. Lasse penned a 3-year contract with Town, securing his future at the club as he enters his prime.
Sorensen should provide a huge upgrade for us in that right-wingback position. In fact, he’s the first natural right wingback we’ve had at the club since Pipa, so it can only really be a positive addition. His engine is honestly astounding, the boy can run all day. He’s so smart with his attacking runs, always finding himself picking up dangerous positions in and around the box. Without getting carried away, he’s literally the perfect signing to solve our wingback woes.
Personally, I have high expectations for what this man can do in blue and white, he will play a big part in trying to push us back up to the Championship. For me, given the price, and impact it has on our squad balance, this could be our best signing so far this summer.
Rating: 9.5/10
Mickel Miller
A couple of weeks later, the transfer of Sorensen was followed up by the addition of another wingback, this time a left-sided one. Mickel Miller signed a 2-year deal with Town, rejecting an offer from Championship side Plymouth Argyle to join us, a statement of intent for sure. Miller is an experienced figure at this level who knows what it takes to get promoted.
On the pitch, he is a quality attacking wingback who will bomb up and down the flank, creating chances and defending simultaneously. His problems come with injuries, due to his erratic playstyle, he really struggles to stay fit, often pulling muscles and picking up knocks. However if we can keep him fit, he should be a great option for us alongside Headley and Jackson on that left-hand side.
Should he stay fit, I hope Miller will become an important player for us. His outstanding pace and high work rate could be real assets for us, we’ve already seen glimpses of what he is capable of during his first outing against Harrogate Town. I was certainly impressed.
Rating: 7/10
Herbie Kane
Just a day later, Town followed up the signing of Miller by adding Herbie Kane to the midfield ranks. Kane put pen to paper on a three-year contract following the expiration of his contract at fellow League One side Barnsley.
For the past couple of seasons, Town’s midfield has been crying out for a ball-playing midfielder, Herbie Kane is exactly that. As already evidenced in his first 45 minutes at Harrogate, he’s a player who loves to have the ball at his feet. Kane will often show as an option for the ball which will be refreshing to see for Town fans; for too long now we’ve had midfielders who are seemingly scared of the ball and offer next to nothing when it comes to possession play. He will certainly help us when it comes to progressing the ball out of the defensive line and up the pitch.
Kane has pedigree as one of the best midfielders in this league and to land him on a free transfer can only really be a good thing. I am mildly concerned about his slight lack of mobility but at the end of the day, that’s not his game, hopefully others in the team can supplement him. A great transfer nonetheless.
Rating: 8/10
Antony Evans
Having previously had a bid rejected, Town were able to finally agree a deal worth roughly £500k for the Bristol Rovers midfielder. For so long Town have lacked ball-playing midfielders but all of a sudden we find ourselves with two of the very best League One has to offer. Evans had enjoyed three fine seasons with Rovers and as he entered the final year of his contract, Town pounced to poach him for a bargain fee. At 25 years old, Evans brings some great experience, after achieving a promotion from League Two he followed it up with two strong seasons in the league above.
The Scouser is a natural leader, he captained The Gas on many occasions last campaign - you can never have too many leaders in a squad. Similarly to Kane, Evans is a strong ball player, especially thriving when in dead-ball situations. Evans is a powerful runner with the ball, using his strong frame to hold off defenders. I expect to see him operate in the right-hand half-space often, tucking in alongside the right wingback. He can be very creative from that area of the pitch, putting in plenty of fast, whipped crosses.
For a relatively insignificant fee, capturing Evans could prove to be a wonderful piece of business from Cartwright and Co. His creativity and leadership skills are attributes which will surely be valued highly within this squad. Hopefully, he can live up to the hype.
Rating: 9/10
So, what’s the verdict?
When Mark Cartwright said we wanted to get our business done early, I did sort of expect us to have more done by this point. However, that did also include outgoings, and I have to say I’m pretty surprised to see the likes of Michal Helik and Sorba Thomas still at the club.
These four signings are all going to breathe some new life into their respective positions - they will certainly provide upgrades on what’s there currently. I think that’s what I have been most pleased with, the fact the recruitment team are actually addressing issues we had within the squad, it’s been far too long since we’ve done that in a summer transfer window. Sorensen and Evans are probably the ones that have gotten me most excited although I’ve honestly been delighted with the arrival of all four.
That being said, it’s far from job done, in my opinion, we still need at least four more signings. With Balker’s injury, it’s a necessity that we buy a new central defender. Also, with Radulovic looking like he’s out of the picture, I believe we now need 2 new additions up top. Finally, we do lack a bit of quality at the base of our midfield, we still need to sign a defensive midfielder; Wolves man Joe Hodge has been heavily linked. As for the other positions, there’s been no concrete links since our deal for Alfie May fell through, we will have to wait and see what the club have up their sleeve in regard to those positions.