Former Portsmouth misfit axed by League One underachievers - despite ending season as their top scorer

The 26-year-old forward - who endured a frustrating spell on loan at Fratton Park despite making an instant impact at the Blues - has been told he’ll not be getting a new contract at League One Huddersfield upon the expiry of his current deal next month.

That’s despite the Sierra Leone international scoring in each of the Terriers’ past four games and ending the season as the club’s top scorer with 12 goals. It also comes at a time when Huddersfield remain without a permanent head coach, following their decision to part ways with Michael Duff back in March.

Koroma, who has been at The Alfred McAlpine Stadium since his move from Leyton Orient in 2019, is one of 10 players with first-team experience to have been told their futures lie elsewhere.

The cull is a result of Huddersfield’s disappointing first season back in League One following their relegation from the Championship in 2023-24. A 10th-placed finish was considered not good enough after a spot inside the top four was targeted at the beginning of the campaign.

Koroma played an integral role for the Terriers all season, amassing 37 appearances and contributing 11 league goals. But with the team underachieving, the decision has been taken to wipe the slate clean for any incoming new boss.

That also includes former Blues loanee Jonathan Hogg, with the 36-year-old midfielder told he too can leave after 410 appearances over a 12-year period.

A statement posted on the Huddersfield website read: ‘Conducting a full review of our footballing operations following the 2024/25 campaign, the Club retains a desire to refresh the complexion of our First Team squad having fallen short of our targets this season.

‘Looking to head into the 2025/26 season reinvigorated, decisions have been made to allow full flexibility and freedom to any incoming Head Coach.’

Why Josh Koroma’s Pompey loan turned sour

In total, Koroma made 168 appearances for the Terriers, scoring 35 goals and recording 10 assists.

On two occasions he was allowed to move away from the Yorkshire outfit to get much-needed game time. The winger joined Rotherham for the second half of the 2019-20 season, before he arrived at Pompey on the final day of the 2022 summer transfer window.

Signed by Danny Cowley, Koroma joining was considered something of a coup, given his Championship experience and quality, Indeed, the then 23-year-old arrived after making more than 70 second-tier appearances for Huddersfield and scoring 16 goals - and was seen as someone who could help end the Blues’ wait for promotion from League One.

An assist on debut, just four minutes after his introduction as a substitute in the 2-1 win against Peterborough, certainly lived up to the hype. Meanwhile, four goals in his next five games added to his instant popularity.

However, as Pompey struggled to keep pace with the League One leaders, so too did Koroma with the high expectations that has been placed on his shoulders.

Indeed, his next 18 appearances produced just the one goal and no assists as his contributions dried up. And with Cowley sacked after the Blues’ New Year’s Day defeat at the hands of Charlton, the winger soon followed him out the Fratton Park exit as his season-long loan was cut short at the halfway mark.

Koroma went on to feature 16 times for Huddersfield on his return and scored four times as Neil Warnock’s side staved off the threat of relegation.

He remained a mainstay of the Terriers’ team ever since as well, racking up 76 first team appearances over the past two seasons.

But despite his game time and eye for goal this season, he’s been let go by Huddersfield as they look forward to a fresh start.

For your next Pompey read: Former Portsmouth and Sheffield United favourite told he can leave Championship Stoke City on free transfer