Fraizer Campbell is likely to be the first summer target for Huddersfield Town, who secured their place in next season’s Premier League on Monday.
The Terriers earned a place in English football’s top-flight for the first time in 45 years when they defeated Reading 4-3 on penalties at Wembley, following a fairly uneventful and goalless 120 minutes. Christopher Schindler, who cost a club record £1.8million when he signed from 1860 Munich, scored the goal said to worth as much as 100 times the fee his club paid for him last June.
Manager David Wagner will now be anxious to learn how much of this war-chest he can spend to improve his squad ahead of their Premier League debut, but it appears as though his first signing could arrive on a free transfer. According to The Sun, the German coach has set his sights on a deal for Campbell, who is out of contract at Crystal Palace this summer.
The 29-year-old was born in the town, before leaving for Manchester United’s academy where he would then progress to the first team. However, the striker failed to establish himself at Old Trafford and after loan moves to Royal Antwerp, Hull City and Tottenham Hotspur, in 2009 he left in a £6million deal to Sunderland where he would go on to win his first and only cap for England.
Injuries interrupted his time at the Stadium of Light – he made just 27 Premier League appearances in two-and-a-half years – and joined Cardiff City for £650,000 in January 2013. Having helped the Bluebirds reach the top-flight he missed just one match in their relegation season, after which he returned to the elite division when Palace paid £900,000 to lure him to Selhurst Park.
Campbell made just 12 league appearances for the Eagles last season, scoring once, and with his contract set to expire this summer it now appears as though he could be heading back to his hometown club who are expected to make him their first signing of a new era.
