Huddersfield Town are said to be considering ending their loan deal with Crystal Palace goalkeeper Owen Goodman earlier than planned.
The update comes from Alan Nixon via Patreon, with Terriers boss Lee Grant assessing his options as he prepares for his second transfer window since taking charge in June. Huddersfield’s season has been a stop start affair, despite widespread expectations that they would be pushing strongly for automatic promotion after heavy summer investment backed by owner Kevin Nagle.
As January begins, Town sit in the League One play-off places but trail leaders Cardiff City by 10 points, with plenty of football still to be played. Several of Grant’s early signings have made a positive impact, most notably Leo Castledine, who has impressed since arriving on loan from Chelsea.
Goodman’s spell has been far less convincing. The 22-year-old arrived with a strong reputation after successful League Two loans at Colchester United and AFC Wimbledon, where he built a record of 25 clean sheets in 84 appearances. A step up to League One was seen as a logical next stage in his development, with the long-term aim of pushing for opportunities at Selhurst Park.
Instead, Goodman has featured just 12 times in all competitions, with 10 of those outings coming in the league. His time at the club has been overshadowed by a red card picked up in an August defeat at Barnsley, when he was dismissed for a challenge on David McGoldrick. His last appearance came in a November draw against former club AFC Wimbledon, after which Grant has preferred the experience of Lee Nicholls between the posts.
With Goodman no longer first choice, Nixon reports that Huddersfield are open to terminating the loan, while Palace will look to find a new temporary home where the Canadian international can secure regular minutes for the rest of the season.
From all sides, the move appears logical. Goodman needs consistent game time at this stage of his career, something he has not found in West Yorkshire. For Huddersfield, ending the loan would free up a slot to strengthen elsewhere in the squad, even if it remains unclear whether they will bring in another goalkeeper before the window closes.