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Huddersfield Town are flying at the top of League One right now, and if the Terriers can maintain this level of performance and form throughout the course of the campaign, the Championship beckons, though one player will be key to those efforts.
Huddersfield sit at the top of League One right now with eight wins, five draws, and just one defeat in 14 league games thus far, as Martin Drury has his side playing some excellent stuff.
The likes of Archie Collins, Ibane Bowat, and Ilias Bronkhorst headed to the ACCU Stadium over the summer, and following Bronkhorst from Excelsior to West Yorkshire was Dutch winger Derensili Sanches Fernandes, who has captured the attention of the entire EFL with his scintillating performances so far.
Sanches Fernandes, 25, has quickly become Huddersfield's star man up top, as alongside Welsh forward Joe Taylor, the winger is absolutely thriving right now, with seven goals and six assists in just 14 league games so far.
Sanches Fernandes trails only MK Dons' Aaron Collins in the combined goals and assists numbers in League One right now, but it would be no surprise to see the 25-year-old overtake the former Bolton Wanderers striker before too long.
The Dutchman, of Cape Verdean descent, has already played down exit talk following his excellent performances, telling Dutch media outlet Voetbal: "It's all happening way too fast. I also read those crazy things, for example, that I'll be playing in the Premier League as early as winter.
"I'm not thinking about that at all right now; whatever happens, happens, but I'm going to fight to bring Huddersfield back to the level where they belong. His dream of playing in the Premier League himself is very much alive. I am still two steps away."
Football League World's Huddersfield fan pundit, Graeme Rayner, has shared their thoughts on what Sanches Fernandes' asking fee should be right now amid an incredible start to life in West Yorkshire.
Graeme said: "Derensili Sanches Fernandes, until the summer, I would wager that pretty much no Huddersfield Town fan, except perhaps the Football Manager computer game geeks, had heard of him, and even those might not have.
"He came out of nowhere in terms of a purchase for us, and the scouting that's been involved has clearly been fantastic, because both he and Ilias Bronkhorst link really well on the right-hand side, and he has been the standout player in League One this season.
"He's been phenomenal. I think he's scored seven and got six assists, I believe it is. So he's got a goal involvement pretty much every game. That's 13 goal involvements in 14 League One games.
"He is quite often pivotal in build-up play to goals where he doesn't get the assist as well. His use of the bullish phenomenon, his ability to run at players is great; his touch is great, he's strong, he's quick. At times, he has looked unplayable at League One level. And having watched a lot of Championship football over recent years, I would say that he'd probably be very effective in the Championship as well.
"In terms of his price tag, the good news is Huddersfield Town don't need to sell, and he's already said that he wants to stay. So the good news is that in January, if someone wants to come in, they're going to have to pay a lot of money. I would say his market value, therefore, is probably somewhat inflated.
"Sorba Thomas was the last right-winger we had at the club who was involved in as many goals as he is. In the summer, I believe he went for around £7 million, with potential add-ons, for a £10 million transfer to Hull City. A lot of Town fans already, and we have to bear in mind he's playing League One, think he's better than Sorba Thomas and his ceiling might be higher.
"But I would say if anybody comes in with an offer of less than £6 million-£7 million in January, it wouldn't even be considered. Obviously, every player has their price. If someone comes in with £7 million-£8 million, maybe we'd accept it. I don't know. But I would say it's going to be silly money. It's got to be silly money because it's more important to us.
"The value to us is higher by getting promoted than selling him. So that's what I would say. I just don't think that we need to sell him."
What have you made of Sanches Fernandes so far? What would you value him at? Does he have a higher ceiling than Sorba Thomas? Share your thoughts below!
Naturally, if a player is being linked with a move from League One to the Premier League, it takes great character to cancel that outside noise and remain focused purely on the current situation.
As for Sanches Fernandes, he appears to be doing just that, and if he does indeed commit the entire campaign to Huddersfield and remains fit, the Terriers are surely a Championship club in waiting.
Under contract until the summer of 2030 and showing no signs of forcing an exit, Sanches Fernandes would command a lucrative fee for Huddersfield, and no matter how much their resolve is tested, it will surely take a huge number to prise him away from West Yorkshire anytime soon.
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