Why Town should cash in on Jack Hunt

"If we could get £3m for Jack Hunt, I'd sell". Posting this on Twitter the other day I got a response befitting someone who'd just advocated the sale of a star player mid-season for peanuts. Luckily for me the only part of that last statement that's true is that it's the middle of the season, as Jack Hunt is not our star player and £3m is not peanuts.

Hunt has been a fan favourite ever since that lung-busting run on his debut against Arsenal, bombing down the right flank and cutting inside only to be fouled by Sebastien Squillaci who was subsequently sent off. That match was a bit of a prelude for what we'd come to expect from the Town academy graduate - once he got into his stride he was a threat going forward but before Arsenal were reduced to ten men he was a liability defensively, although taking on Andrei Arshavin on your full debut is some task.

Hunt made his debut at The Emirates Stadium in January 2011

It's two years ago now since Hunt made his full Town debut, transitioning from League Two where he'd had a loan spell with Chesterfield to League One reasonably well. We all knew he was a threat going forward and he showed it brilliantly on occasion, such as his superb last minute equaliser against Peterborough in April 2011. Hunt has been a mainstay in the Town team ever since his debut, and in that time he's consistently been our biggest threat going forward, until this season when his role has changed somewhat.

The weakness in Jacks game has always been his defensive abilities. The modern game has evolved and a full-back is now used as an attacking option, but their number one priority remains to be solid defensively. Hunt was exposed regularly in League One, particularly away from home - he must still wake up in a cold sweat thinking about how easily Francois Zoko tore him to pieces at Brunton Park last season. He often falls into the trap of standing off his man too much, allowing crosses to be put into the box, and when he does commit to a challenge he is taken on far too easily by most decent wingers.

Hunts passion has never been questioned

Hunt is a home-grown talent and as such many people jump to his defence much quicker than they would if it were someone we'd signed from elsewhere. There's no doubting his passion for the club, he tries to get things going when we're not playing well and his effort is clear for all to see. However, I can't help but think we might be better off if we sold Hunt, with Swansea rumoured to be sniffing around. I certainly don't rate him as highly as Matthew Lowton who Villa paid £3m for, so if we could get a similar fee for Jack I'd be inclined to accept, assuming the scouting team could find a suitable replacement.

The biggest asset Hunt possesses is his ability to run with the ball from deep or overlap the winger and receive the ball. On occasion he's done it well this season, winning a couple of penalties and claiming a few assists earlier in the season. However as our form has disintegrated so apparently have Jacks runs down the right flank. Whether it's a lack of confidence in himself, the person in front of him, or if he's under orders from the coaching staff, he doesn't get forward as much as many fans would like. So if we're not utilising him properly anyway, why not cash in if a decent offer is on the table?

If we were to sell Hunt, a replacement would need to be brought in

Whether we sell Hunt or not will depend on two things - if the price is right, and whether or not there is a replacement available for us to bring in. I certainly wouldn't want to be left with just Calum Woods and Paul Dixon as the only natural full-backs at our disposal. If there is interest in Hunt I would imagine the scouting team are already looking at potential replacements, but if there is one available I would say Hunt has a price and if Swansea meet it he would be sold. A fee of £3m could potentially enable us to bring in a replacement full-back and strengthen in other areas too.

The losses of £5.7m last season will be fresh in Dean Hoyles mind, and even with the £8m sale of Jordan Rhodes and increased league and television revenue, the long-term sustainability of the club is most important for us to to create solid foundations. £3m for a player who cost us nothing would be great business, and I certainly don't think losing Hunt would show a lack of ambition or leave us more vulnerable to relegation than we are now, assuming a replacement could be found. That's why, in my opinion, if we can get the right fee we should cash in.