David Wagner and his exploits to avoid relegation from the top flight in England has seen applause from all corners of the country but the upcoming campaign will only be more difficult as the expectations of the fans will also be on the rise. The German gaffer has already managed to sign an exciting prospect in Ben Hamer this summer but is still quite busy in the transfer market.
But the next step he has taken to improve his squad this summer, breaking the transfer record at the club, is signing Terence Kongolo on a permanent deal.
The Switzerland born defender was loaned out to Huddersfield Town by French side AS Monaco, just a season after signing him. He failed to impress in his stint in Ligue 1 but made an immediate impact at Kirklees stadium, helping the Terriers avoid the drop last season.
Having played 17 of the club’s games after the turn of the year, the 24-year old added a fresh breath of air to a defense line that was seemingly losing its grit. With numbers like 2.2 aerial duels per game, he managed to come out of the season as one of the most consistent players for Wagner, who was evidently happy to have signed him on a permanent basis.
“I’m so happy that we’ve brought Terence back as a permanent Huddersfield Town player ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League season. His signing is a big statement for this club,” Wagner said, talking about the Dutch international.
Kongolo dropped a number of strong and dominating displays in the English top flight, keeping up the reputation he earned in Eredivisie with Feyenoord. Starting as a right-back against Brighton recently, he was one of the best players on the pitch and showed his influence on both ends of the field.
His display at Old Trafford shows that he is not fazed of the occasion and at his age, he will only get better. He has reportedly signed a four-year deal, with a transfer fee of £17.5m, which will now be the most expensive transfer ever for the Terriers. But if his first half season in England is anything to go by, he can probably be called a bargain in this current market.
Wagner will now want to strengthen other positions in his squad and though a place in Europe might be too much to ask for, he will certainly be expected to better their finish in the points table from last season, which will not be an easy task.
