Huddersfield Town look set to bolster their attacking ranks with the signing of Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer. 

Carlos Corberan missed out on a late January signing to provide competition for Fraizer Campbell and Danny Ward, who are a pair that have struggled for consistency and fitness, respectively, this season.

That's led the Terriers into the free agent market and, according to Football Insider, a deal for Sanogo is in the pipeline.

 

 

The 28-year-old is formerly of Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic, whilst his last stint came in France with Toulouse.

For Corberan, it's another body in attack, which will be useful as Huddersfield look to pull themselves up and away from the relegation zone in the Championship.

So, what impacts will the seemingly imminent arrival of Sanogo have on the Yorkshire outfit?

We take a look:

Pressure off Campbell 

Campbell has made 30 appearances in the Championship this season, failing to appear only once in 31 league fixtures. He's returned six goals and three assists too, but in a side that can be toothless in attack, the pressure is on him to deliver more given he's Corberan's go-to man in attack.

What the arrival of Sanogo will do is give him proper competition for his place in the side. Of course, Ward is kicking around, but he's been injured for so much of the season he's hardly had an impact. That's not helped Campbell and the striker even admitted earlier in the campaign he could've done with that little bit of support and competition.

Sanogo comes in as a free agent, but still with pedigree given his previous clubs. He might not wrestle Campbell's place from him, but what he will do is take the pressure off and maybe even help the 33-year-old elevate his performance.

On Saturday, Campbell opened the scoring in a 4-1 win over Swansea City. He had his fingers in his ears in celebration as a gesture to those supporters getting on his back. That was a clear message, but his performance from there backed up that action. He teed up Lewis O'Brien for 2-1 and then played a part in the build-up for Duane Holmes' first goal. By the time Holmes was leathering Town into complete control, Campbell had the biggest smile on the pitch.

If that's what talk of competition being signed can do for him, Huddersfield will be delighted.

Square pegs in square holes 

When Huddersfield have impressed this season it has been in a 4-3-3 system with Campbell as the focal point. However, Corberan's instance on fluidity between systems depending on the opposition has often left a square peg in a round hole in attack.

As mentioned, Ward's fitness issues mean that Campbell has been the only senior striker available to Corberan. Isaac Mbenza or Josh Koroma has plugged a gap if it's been a 3-5-2 system, whilst Kieran Phillips offers a youthful option from the bench.

On Saturday it was the turn of Holmes to get a slightly more advanced role alongside Campbell, with Corberan turning to something of a fluid 3-5-2 to match Swansea. Holmes delivered a second-half brace within the space of three minutes, looking sharp with that freedom to break beyond the defence.

Of course, that success means he is likely to get another chance there but, by trade, he is a midfielder and not the long-term solution if Corberan wants a two-man axis in attack.

Sanogo can come in and provide that option to play with Campbell in a 3-5-2 system.

Square pegs in square holes isn't something Corberan has been used to at all this season, so that possibility will not be sniffed at by the head coach.