Lee Nicholls urged to eye Huddersfield Town exit as Lee Grant era begins | OneFootball

FLW's Huddersfield Town Fan Pundit Graeme believes that goalkeeper Lee Nicholls could be eyeing a move away from the club this summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

With the managerial appointment of Lee Grant and a summer rebuild underway, uncertainty surrounds several Huddersfield Town players ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

While winger Sorba Thomas has often been discussed following his loan spell in France, FLW's Terriers Fan Pundit Graeme Rayner believes another key name could also be eyeing the door - first-choice goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.

Huddersfield Town: Lee Nicholls facing an uncertain future

Nicholls has been Huddersfield's number one for several seasons but endured a rocky return from injury last term. And for Graeme, a combination of tactical concerns, recent selection choice, and shifting ambitions might make the 32-year-old consider a summer switch.

"The obvious one would be Sorba Thomas," Graeme said when asked about who might be unsettled at the club. "But I want to possibly say Lee Nicholls, who has been our first-choice goalkeeper for quite some time, and suffered from indifferent form after his return from injury last season."

Graeme points to a recurring complaint among Terriers fans: Nicholls' limitations in possession: "Some fans are frustrated with his slowness of distribution and inability to get play going. Not so much in terms of his shot-stopping, but quite often, play slows down when the ball is with him, and his distribution isn't great."

Nicholls' grip on number one shirt under threat

Nicholls’ position as first choice could also come under pressure from within. Backup goalkeeper Jacob Chapman was handed valuable game time late in the season and did little to harm his credentials.

“Towards the end of the season, Jacob Chapman got some decent minutes and some game time,” Graeme explained. “It may be, with Lee Grant coming in as manager with his style of play, that Lee Nicholls may want to move on.”

Championship ambitions may fuel the decision

Despite being part of a League One squad, Nicholls could still consider himself a Championship-level goalkeeper. Graeme wouldn’t be surprised if he explored options higher up the pyramid: “If I were Lee Nicholls, I would be looking for a move if there was one available,” he said. “Obviously, there does have to be the right move available.”

Still, a summer move isn't inevitable. As Graeme points out, both Nicholls and Thomas may yet be tempted to give things one last try under a new manager.

“Maybe Sorba Thomas could kick-start his Town career again, because we certainly missed his dead-ball skills last year,” he said.

As for Nicholls, much will depend on how Lee Grant views the goalkeeper’s role, and whether the club’s new direction leaves room for a player once seen as indispensable between the sticks.