Huddersfield Town chief Leigh Bromby will ‘understand’ if Harry Toffolo and Lewis O’Brien want to leave amid interest from Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest this summer, speaking to Yorkshire Live.
Not content with defeating The Terriers in May’s play-off final, Nottingham Forest are now looking to follow up that most contentious of Wembley wins by delivering a potential knockout blow to Huddersfield’s hopes of another top-six challenge going forward.
The Athletic claims that Forest remain interested in the adventurous, attack-minded Toffolo despite strengthening their wing back options with the arrivals of Neco Williams and Omar Richards. The two-time European champions are ‘confident’ that a cut-price £2.5 million deal can be agreed for the one-time Norwich City man.
O’Brien will not come quite so cheap.
But with a £12 million release clause reportedly in his contract, there’s not really a lot Huddersfield can do to stop their tempo-setting talisman following Toffolo to the City Ground should the opportunity arrive.
Nottingham Forest like Huddersfield Town duo Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo
“Both players are in training at the minute,” says Bromby, Huddersfield’s head of football operations. “Those two players had fantastic seasons. For me, it shows what the players have done and how they’ve developed that there’s interest.
“Now, if we can keep those players, fantastic. (But) there’s a reality to the situation. If there’s Premier League interest, I’m sure the players have ambitions to play there. We have to respect and understand that.
“But both players are happy at Huddersfield Town. They love the experiences they’re having here. They’ve been a big part in what we do. For us to have interest shows we’re doing something right.”
O’Brien, who was the subject of four bids from Leeds United last summer, would arrive to fill a James Garner-shaped void in Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest midfield.
But, despite the prospect of O’Brien and Toffolo following head coach Carlos Corberan out the door, Bromby is keen to point out that Huddersfield will not merely be making up the numbers in 2022/23.
“We want to progress next year,” Bromby adds. “We want to play in the Premier League and we’re going to do everything we can. The supporters have to be behind us. And I think we’ve shown over the past 12 months we can do that.”
Then again, without Corberan, Toffolo and O’Brien, securing another play-off spot will be far easier said than done.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
