Why Alfie May turned down Huddersfield Town for Birmingham City last year - He’s now set for Terriers move | OneFootball

Birmingham City hijacked the deal last summer, but now May is set to finally join Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town are set to once again bolster their frontline by signing one of League One's most prolific strikers in recent memory in Alfie May.

The 32-year-old has netted an impressive 82 goals in the last four third-tier seasons for Cheltenham Town, Charlton Athletic and, more recently, Birmingham City, and is now set to take his goalscoring prowess to the Accu Stadium, according to an exclusive report from Football League World.

However, for many associated with the Terriers, this arrival will have been a year in the making, after May was close to joining the West Yorkshire-based side last summer before he moved to Birmingham City.

The reasoning was confirmed following Chris Davies' side's 1-0 win over Huddersfield in October, when May scored the only goal.

Huddersfield Town showed immediate interest in Alfie May last summer

Alfie May stated following Birmingham's October win over Huddersfield Town that the Terriers had, indeed, shown interest in bringing him to the club from Charlton Athletic that summer.

Huddersfield at the time were managed by Michael Duff, who was the Cheltenham manager when May joined the club. Whilst there, May contributed to their promotion out of League Two in the 2020/21 campaign, and netted 23 in the following League One season.

That was the first in a run of three straight seasons scoring at least 20 league goals. That may have ended this past term whilst at Birmingham, but May's 16 goals were backed up by a career-best eight assists.

When asked how interested Huddersfield were in him last summer, May said: "Very if I'm totally honest.

"The interest they showed me straight away was unbelievable, and Michael Duff, as one of my old managers, made me the player I am.

"As a player, when you get interest, you hear little things, and Birmingham came in for me last notice. It's just one of those things that happens."

One can imagine that the finances on offer at Birmingham, who spent lavishly in an ultimately-successful bid to return to the Championship at the first attempt, will have played a part in May's thinking. Given just how successful Birmingham were last season, where Huddersfield themselves struggled and ended up finishing in mid-table, few can begrudge May's decision.

Now, though, the opportunity to be the main man for a side with clear and convincing promotion aspirations clearly appeals to May, who has just fallen down the pecking order in the Second City following Blues' return to the second-tier.

Better late than never for Huddersfield Town and Alfie May

Whilst Huddersfield will have been disappointed that they weren't able to secure Alfie May's services last season, as his goals could have helped the Terriers maintain their promotion-contending form in the latter half of the season, bringing him in a year later is brilliant news.

May has become one of the more feared attackers in the third-tier over the last few seasons, and the 32-year-old showed last year that he can also be a decent facilitator at this level, too, if there is quality around him, which there is in abundance at Huddersfield.

So far this summer, Lee Grant has been focused on improving in defensive areas in the transfer window, with January arrivals Joe Taylor and Dion Charles providing more than enough forward depth.

In adding Alfie May, the Terriers will have picked up arguably the best option in his position in the division, and their already high promotion odds will increase exponentially if a deal can be made.