Why Huddersfield must hold onto Tom Ince at all costs

As per reports, Championship side Stoke City are interested in Huddersfield Town winger Tom Ince. The Potters want to sign Ince from Huddersfield, despite the 26-year-old currently being in Germany with the Terriers for their pre-season clash with Dynamo Dresden.

The Potters are currently in the process of strengthening their squad after relegation to the Championship, while Xherdan Shaqiri has already departed for Liverpool after the Reds triggered his relegation exit clause.

Following the exit of Shaqiri, Stoke boss Gary Rowett is searching for a replacement and is now considering a bid for Ince, who has previously worked with Rowett at Derby County. But Huddersfield must ensure they hold onto Ince at all costs.

Ince, 26, moved to Huddersfield Town from Derby last summer. He signed a three-year deal at the John Smith Stadium, meaning he still has two years left on his current contract.

The Terriers narrowly missed out on relegation last season and if David Wagner wants to sustain in the Premier League for the second season running, he needs to keep hold of his core players whilst also adding fresh faces to his squad. Wagner has rightfully prioritised strengthening his defence but has only signed Ramadan Sobhi from Stoke to bolster his attack.

Huddersfield managed just 28 goals in the league last term, the joint worst tally in the league alongside Swansea City. So it is of utmost importance for Wagner to add more firepower to his attack despite the signing of Egyptian international Sobhi.

Given the club’s budget and the highly inflated market, it is difficult to find quality players on the cheap. If that’s the problem with Huddersfield, then keeping Ince at the club would be the most sensible thing.

Ince had an underwhelming debut season with Huddersfield, scoring just 2 goals in 33 league appearances. The 26-year-old struggled with his end product and often cut a frustrated figure due to the lack of service from his teammates. However, he is a player that just cannot be discarded after a season and Wagner must continue showing faith in him.

On his day, Ince can be a lethal attacker to deal with as far as the defenders are concerned. His main attributes are his pace, agility, dribbling and skill on the ball. He is a versatile forward who can play on either wing or centrally but his preferred position is on the right flank, always willing to cut in onto his favoured left foot.

The former Hull City and Derby man can be frustrating at times due to his tendency to overrun with the ball but he is a decent player who should be given regular game time by Wagner.

Even if Stoke come up with an eye-catching offer for Ince, Huddersfield must not let go of the 26-year-old winger this summer.