£2m Huddersfield Town man could be big loser of Alfie May, Birmingham City deal | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town signing Alfie May could mean it's the end of the road for a certain 30-year-old striker

Following on from FLW's exclusive, Huddersfield Town have officially completed the signing of Birmingham City striker Alfie May, but his arrival could spell the end for Rhys Healey's time in West Yorkshire.

The signing of May does practically confirm who Lee Grant's preferred strikers will be next season - he has netted 82 goals and 16 assists in 172 appearances across his last four seasons with Cheltenham Town, Charlton Athletic, and Birmingham City.

His 16 goals and eight assists in 44 League One appearances for Birmingham last season helped fire Blues to the title with a record-breaking 111 points.

For Healey, who managed just two goals in 11 appearances in 24/25 across all competitions - whilst also being plagued by persistent injury problems, May's arrival is perhaps the clearest signal yet that his time at Huddersfield could be coming to an end.

Rhys Healey's nightmare 18 months at Huddersfield Town

When Huddersfield Town paid Watford a reported £2m for Rhys Healey in January 2024, they believed they were signing a proven goalscorer who could fire them back to the Championship.

However, Healey's time at the the Terriers has been nothing short of disastrous.

The striker was ruled out for the rest of the season after damaging his cartilage during the Terriers' loss at Northampton Town.

In fact, Healey's injury record at Huddersfield tells a grim story. He suffered a groin injury on his first home start against Sheffield Wednesday. It appears that the ACL injury he had in 2022 while at French side in Toulouse has left lasting damage, with the striker struggling to maintain consistent fitness ever since.

Even when fit, Healey has failed to justify his hefty price tag. His goal return of just one in nine league appearances this season is certainly an abysmal return on investment for Huddersfield.

Alfie May adds to the many strikers already at Huddersfield

Huddersfield's forward line is now arguably the strongest in League One, with May joining an already crowded field of attacking options.

The Terriers currently boast six senior strikers, including January signings Joe Taylor and Dion Charles, alongside Freddie Ladapo, Bojan Radulovic, and the unfortunate Healey.

May's arrival pushes Healey further down the pecking order at a time when he can least afford it. With his season-ending injury, and May's proven track record at League One level, it's difficult to see how Healey can work his way into Grant's plans.

Huddersfield may have to cut their losses on Rhys Healey

Rhys Healey is still under contract in Kirklees for another year, yet it is perhaps very unlikely any club is going to want to pay a fee for him this summer - and the contrast between his and May's situations could not be starker.

While May arrives as Huddersfield's tenth signing of the summer, having hit a minimum 20 goals three times in the last four seasons, Healey faces an uncertain future after 18 months of disappointment.

With Huddersfield targeting automatic promotion back to the Championship once again, after being relegated from the second-tier in 23/24, they simply cannot afford to persist with a striker who has managed just seven goals in the last three seasons.

Ultimately, Rhys Healey's move to Huddersfield has turned into a nightmare that shows no signs of improving, and Alfie May coming in is surely the final nail in the coffin.

At 30 years old and battling persistent injury problems, Healey may well find himself at a dead-end when looking for a new club to play for - and even if other strikers at Town are to be moved (on or want to) - they'll probably all find another club faster than Healey.