EXCLUSIVE: Dutch Winger Headed to Huddersfield as Terriers Spend Big

Huddersfield Seal Sanches Fernandes as First Summer Purchase

Football Park exclusively understands that Huddersfield Town have secured the signature of Excelsior star Derensili Sanches Fernandes, marking their first major spend of the 2026 transfer window and bringing some serious firepower to the frontline for next season.

The 25-year-old winger, who has notched a combined 29 goals and assists across his last two seasons in the Eredivisie, has reportedly been signed for an as-yet undisclosed seven-figure sum, which will likely see the move go down as one of the most costly in League One this transfer window.

Fresh Pastures

Sanchez Fernandes was vital to keeping Excelsior in the Dutch top flight last season, with four of his six league goals coming in the final five gameweeks as the Kralingers ended up surviving by a five-point margin.

🚨🚨 | EXCLUSIVE: Huddersfield have AGREED a deal for Derensili Sanches Fernandes! 👀✍️

The Terriers have agreed a deal to sign the Excelsior winger for an undisclosed seven-figure fee.

The 25-year-old registered 29 goal contributions across the last two Eredivisie seasons and… pic.twitter.com/akQVIYNnI0

— Football Park (@thefootballpark) July 21, 2026

A player for pressure moments, it is a surprise it has taken so long for the Dutchman to get a move – the 11 goals and nine assists that he notched across all competitions last season were personal best numbers, and it was a surprise to many that he wasn’t poached away from Excelsior while in such potent form.

However, one year later, his exit looks certain, with Huddersfield stating that they were willing to pay a “significant sum” to acquire the winger's services in the days leading up to the agreement between the two parties – Huddersfield clearly know they are getting some player.

It’s not often a top-flight player from one of Europe’s major leagues signs for an English third-tier side – Fernandes Sanches is a serious coup for the Terriers, with his skillset potentially the missing piece as they look to bully their way back to the Championship.

A left-footed right-winger, Fernandes Sanches inverts frequently, looking to shift the ball to his stronger side before delivering an in-swinging cross or a shot at goal. His threat from out to in, as well as his pace, flair and pinpoint crossing ability, will haunt the nightmares of League One defender throughout next season – very rarely will they have come up against such quality.

Originally an Excelsior youth product, Fernandes Sanches was poached from his parent club by Utrecht, who spent three years developing the winger in their youth system. The attacker would make just three senior appearances for the club before moving back to Excelsior, where he has blossomed into a quality player who could signal the start of a new era for Huddersfield Town.

Incoming Players at Huddersfield Town

The seven-figure fee paid for the 25-year-old marks the second time this window that Huddersfield have been willing to part with their limited League One transfer budget, having signed 22-year-old Brentford midfielder Ethan Brierley for an undisclosed fee at the end of June.

Brierley was accompanied by free transfers for centre forward Ashley Fletcher and, most notably, Excelsior fullback Ilias Bronckhorst, who regularly operated in tandem with Fernandes Sanches on the right flank last season, scoring twice.

That pre-ordained chemistry between the two could prove vital this coming season, and with the winger posing as the crown jewel of the Terriers' transfer business, the 2025/26 campaign is shaping up very nicely indeed for the West Yorkshire outfit.