Huddersfield Town: David Wagner made "exciting quality" claim about 2016 arrival - he was bang on | OneFootball

Aaron Mooy is one of the best players to pass through the John Smith's Stadium in recent memory.

Former manager David Wagner is undoubtedly an iconic figure in the recent history of Huddersfield Town, transforming the Terriers from Championship relegation candidates to a genuine, albeit short-lived, Premier League side.

One doesn't achieve such feats without making a string of tremendous decisions on and off the pitch, and one of his finest, the acquisition of Australian international Aaron Mooy, was symbolic of his excellent operations in West Yorkshire.

His tenure, like Wagner's, perfectly corresponds with a period of success once thought impossible.

Aaron Mooy's arrival at Huddersfield Town

The midfielder, who had been brought to England by Manchester City from sister-club Melbourne, was immediately offered on-loan to clubs of smaller stature.

Already 25-years-old, it was somewhat clear that the Citizens had no genuine intent on integrating the Sydneysider into their first-team plans, but rather turn him for a small profit.

Huddersfield, having recently declined a deal to make Emyr Huws permanent, had to find an attacking midfielder to fill 'the hole'. Seeing the quality at hand, Wagner called City's bluff, and took Mooy on an initial one-year loan.

Arriving with, at that time, 16 Socceroo caps under his belt, but still a relative unknown in the Northern Hemisphere, Wagner was quick to relay fans with his assurance of Mooy's ability and potential.

"He is an offensive central midfield player who fills the position left by Emyr Huws' departure," he said via the club's media.

"We have completed some very interesting permanent transfers, but sometimes the loan market also offers exciting quality like Aaron."

Mooy would play over 50 times for the Terriers that season, as Huddersfield finished fifth, pipping local rivals Leeds United to a play-off place.

Mooy scored vital shootout penalties in both the play-off semi-final and final as his unfancied side reached the top flight for the first time since the early 1970s.

While his style of play dictates that he may not show up on any statistical extremes, his importance to the side can be seen in his individual honours that season. The ever-present Mooy would go on to collect the Huddersfield Town Player of the Year award and Australian Footballer of the Year, as well as being the only member of Wagner's side to feature in that season's EFL Team of the Season.

Aaron Mooy in the Premier League

Unsurprisingly, Mooy's permanency was the first bit of business undertaken by Wagner that summer.

The fee, believed to be £8m, was a club record at the time.

In the 2017-2018 season, Mooy continued being instrumental in Huddersfield’s side as he was metronomic amid an impressive campaign to avoid relegation.

In October that season, he scored the opener in a 2-1 win against Manchester United, one of the greatest moments in the club's modern history.

While the occasional goal was a bonus, again, it was the unglamourous side of the game in which he thrived. His technical ability and workrate in a so-so side made him stand out more than most. Throughout the season, Mooy was a consistent link between defence and attack. It is reasonable to suggest that without the services of the midfielder, the initial survival could not have occurred.

Even as Huddersfield struggled in their second Premier League season, Mooy remained one of their standout players, continuing to deliver strong performances in increasingly challenging games.

Wagner was relieved of his duties in January 2019, as the Terriers went on to achieve just 16 points, among the lowest in the league's history.

Aaron Mooy's legacy at Huddersfield

After Huddersfield’s relegation, Mooy would play just once more for the club before stints at Brighton, Shanghai Port and Celtic, the latter with whom he won a domestic treble.

Retiring last year at age 33 due to a consistent back problem, Mooy had perhaps one of the shortest and unique stints at the top of the game in recent memory.

Fans of the Yorkshire side will always remember his services to the team in those surreal seasons, that, with the club now languishing in League One, must feel like even more of a fever-dream than before.

The acquisition of Aaron Mooy was an incredibly shrewd piece of business by David Wagner, and changed the entire landscape of the club's fortunes for those three heady years.