Huddersfield Town have invested heavily in three new wingers this close season. This has been a wise move from David Wagner, as our lack of goals last season seemed to stem from a lack of creativity in the final third, rather than a lack of goal-scoring talent.

The hope is that these new boys (and VLP) are able cause problems to opposition defences in a way we didn’t often manage last season. While there was no lack of effort from our wingers in our first year in the Premier League, they didn’t contribute enough in terms of goals or assists, so it’s understandable that we’ll be seeing three new faces in this area.

This article will look at whether Town’s wingers will be able to add some creativity and attacking dynamism to the final third…

Adama Diakhaby

I’m very excited about this signing. He’s a lightning quick winger that tends to play on right wing, but is dominantly left-footed, so expect to see him cut in once he’s got in behind defences. He can also play as the second striker in the 3-5-2 system Town played at times last season.

His raw pace and direct dribbling is the kind of thing that gets fans out of their seats. My slight uncertainty is whether his end product is good enough. From what I’ve seen in preseason he’s got a lot of ability but occasionally loses his head in the penalty area and makes the wrong decision. I expect David Wagner can coach this bad habit out of him though.

Ramadan Sohbi

Sohbi struggled to get time on the pitch in a particularly poor Stoke team last season, so his signing seemed a bit underwhelming at the time he was announced. However, he fits the profile of the kind of player David Wagner likes. He’s got bags of ability, is still young enough to improve, and has something to prove after underperforming last season. It’s possible that Wagner will coax the best out of him and he’ll look like a different player by the end of the season.

Ramadan looks to have a lot of skill on the ball and is a bag of tricks when he’s one-on-one with defenders. He’s also incredibly strong, and can swat opponents away while he’s holding up the ball. I’m not convinced he’s all that fast, but he’s not slow either. I’d expect him to beat his man with skill rather than speed, which is fine if we’ve got pace elsewhere on the field.

Rajiv van La Parra

VLP is a player that consistently divides Town fans. He’s incredibly skillful, and has an excellent ability to gain yards and carry the ball up the field. However, his end product has a tendency to disappoint and a few incidents last season have given him the reputation of being a diver.

I was impressed by how well he made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League last season and hope he can push on again this year. Goals are the thing he most needs to add to his game. He scored a cracker against West Brom at home, and a few others, but I’d like to see him get more.

Isaac Mbenza

Our latest signing was announced with just minutes to spare on transfer deadline day, coming on a year-long loan with an option for Town to buy him if we want. He’s quick, direct, and can score from long range. It’s not entirely clear how good he will be at Town, but there’s potential for him to be a star player.

Like Sohbi and Diakhaby, there’s an element of a gamble in this signing, because he’s not proven in the Premier League. However, he’s performed in the French top flight, so must be fairly decent. I also believe in David Wagner’s ability to pick talented players from abroad and make them better through his coaching methods.

Collin Quaner

I’ve added Big Col to this list because he’s technically still a Town player, but the expectation is that he’ll not be involved this season. Despite the transfer window closing for Town to sign new players last night, we can still loan players out to Football League clubs and sell to teams in leagues outside England.

If I were in David Wagner’s position, I’d be tempted to keep Collin and have him as a backup. We’ve got three new wingers coming in, and you can never be certain how they’ll adjust to Town’s style of play. Quaner may not be an outstanding talent, but he’s a hard worker and could provide a different option if our new boys don’t kick on.

Read more about Town’s squad

This article is part of a series of posts looking at Town’s squad before the season starts. If you’d like to read more, check out these articles:

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Strikers and number 10s (coming soon)