With the transfer window open for business and several signings having been made by Championship clubs already, we are assessing how each club in the second tier is performing to this point.
In the second part of our four-part series, we look at the fortunes of the next six clubs - Brighton and Hove Albion, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Derby County, Fulham and Ipswich Town - as the 2014/2015 season inches closer.
Brighton and Hove Albion:
In: Nzuki Toko (Grasshopper Zurich - Free).
Out: Matthew Upson (Leicester City - Free), Brennan Dickenson (Gillingham - Free), Tomasz Kuszczak, Andrea Orlandi, Peter Brezovan, David Lopez, Will Hoskins, David Rodriguez (All released).
Plan: Keep Leonardo Ulloa. That is sure to be the main priority for new manager Sami Hyypia in the transfer window this summer and the Seagulls have already rebuffed multiple offers from Leicester City for their prolific frontman.
With Craig Mackail-Smith the only other recognised striker on the club's books, Hyypia will hope to bring in a new No.1, two defenders, wingers and another central midfielder. It promises to be a busy summer.
Reported targets: Jack Butland, Niki Maenpaa, Lukas Hradecky, Stephen Ward, Adam Clayton, Luke Brattan, Sam Baldock, Joel Pohjanpalo - Hyypia is hoping to bring in a cluster of Finnish players to supplement the promising roster already available at the Amex. He hopes to make up to seven signings after a host of players were released and Matthew Upson moved to promoted Leicester City.
Prospects: A goalkeeper looks to be the immediate priority and a deal for last season's loanee Ward also looks to be on. Whether they are able to add who they want in other areas could depend on Ulloa's future. The Seagulls' coffers will be swelled should they cash in on the forward.
Cardiff City:
In: Javi Guerra (Real Valladolid - Free), Guido Burgstaller (Rapid Vienna - Undisclosed), Federico Macheda (Manchester United - Free), Adam Le Fondre (Reading - Undisclosed), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace - Free).
Out: Andrew Taylor (Wigan Athletic - Free), Craig Bellamy, Luke Coulson, Ronnie Hawkins, Simon Lappin, Tommy Smith (All released).
Plan: Create as formidable a squad as possible. And Cardiff have already made inroads towards doing just that with some exciting forward additions. They already look well stocked in most areas and have a plethora of strikers to call upon.
The doubts surrounding the respective futures of David Marshall, Steven Caulker, Gary Medel and Fraizer Campbell could prompt a few more moves but, for now at least, the Bluebirds look to have one of the strongest squads on paper.
Reported targets: Very few at present. Although that could soon change if Gary Medel, as expected, completes a move to Inter Milan. It could bring manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer back into the market.
Prospects: Having already brought in a host of names, Solskjaer will bide his time and await the outcomes of the Bluebirds' various star players' futures before making further moves.
Charlton Athletic:
In: Zak Ansah (Arsenal - Free), Yoni Buyens (Standard Liege - Loan), Igor Vetokele (FC Copenhagen - Undisclosed), Franck Moussa (Coventry City - Free).
Out: Danny Hollands (Portsmouth - Free), Ben Hamer (Leicester City - Free), Danny Green (MK Dons - Free), Dorian Dervite (Bolton Wanderers - Free), Richard Wood (Rotherham United - Free), Adebayo Azeez (AFC Wimbledon - Free), Diego Poyet (West Ham United - Free), Jordan Cook, Leon Cort, Cedric Evina, Kevin Feely, Mark Gower, Bradley Jordan, Bradley Pritchard (All released).
Plan: The Addicks quickly appointed Bob Peeters in the wake of fellow countryman Jose Riga's departure and have made some potentially smart moves in the transfer market, particularly Franck Moussa, who impressed at Coventry.
Yoni Buyens and Igor Vetokele also arrive with good scout reports from Belgium but the losses of Ben Hamer, Dorian Dervite, Richard Wood and Diego Poyet could hit the club hard.
Reported targets: It's all quiet at the Valley. Peeters will look to assess his current squad before pressing on with any more signings but he will need goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders in order for his side to compete next year.
Prospects: Addicks fans can expect the Belgian market to be raided once or twice more in the coming months but Championship experience may also be targeted.
Derby County:
In: Jonathan Mitchell (Newcastle United - Free), Alban Bunjaku (Sevilla - Free), Zak Whitbread (Leicester City - Free), Alefe Santos (Bristol Rovers - Compensation).
Out: Ben Davies (Sheffield United - Free), Adam Legzdins (Leyton Orient - Free), James O'Connor (Walsall - Free), Valentin Gjokaj, Michael Hoganson, Callum Ball, Ross Atkins (All released).
Plan: Sign George Thorne and the rest will follow. Last season's loan revelation is integral to the Rams' summer plans but his price tag could prove prohibitive, with West Bromwich Albion not keen to let him go after such a promising season last time out.
Their other loan signing from 2013/2014 - Andre Wisdom - has returned to Liverpool and so a right-back also figures highly on Steve McClaren's to-do list.
Reported targets: Simon Francis, George Thorne, James McClean, Lukas Jutkiewicz, - McClaren's primary areas for transfer targets are at right-back, central midfield and up front.
Prospects: Jutkiewicz's preference is to return to Bolton Wanderers, where he spent last term on loan, while Thorne could be difficult to prise away. If the Rams boost their bid for Francis, they could at least snap up one of the three.
Fulham:
In: Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell - Free), Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets - Undisclosed), Tim Hoogland (Schalke - Free), Kay Voser (FC Basel - Undisclosed), Ross McCormack (Leeds United - £11m).
Out: Steve Sidwell (Stoke City - Free), Damien Duff (Melbourne City - Free), Josh Pritchard (Gillingham - Free), Sascha Riether (SC Freiburg - Undisclosed), Charles Banya, Derek Boateng, Matthew Briggs, Alexander Brister, Neil Etheridge, John Heitinga, Dino Islamovic, Ronny Minkwitz, Max Oberschmidt, Brede Hangeland, Giorgos Karagounis, Mahamadou Diarra, John Arne Riise (All released).
Plan: Manager Felix Magath is looking to supplement his core of youngsters with some European players but, having released a host of players this summer, there is a fear the Cottagers may lack in experience during 2014/2015.
The arrival of Ross McCormack for a staggering £11m has altered the outlook of the transfer window for Fulham but they still remain short in some areas.
Reported targets: Kostas Stafylidis - The left-back is reportedly on the verge of signing on loan for Fulham, with Magath capitalising on his Bundesliga knowledge for the second time already this summer. There are no other names at present, but expect that to change.
Prospects: Expect more defenders and midfielders to arrive. McCormack has taken up a huge slice of the budget, irrespective of parachute payments and Magath will have to be shrewd with his remaining business.
Ipswich Town:
In: Alex Henshall (Manchester City - Free), Cameron Stewart (Hull City - Free), Jonathan Parr (Crystal Palace - Free).
Out: Carlos Edwards (Millwall - Free), Scott Loach (Rotherham United - Free), Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United - Undisclosed), Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Paul Taylor (All released).
Plan: Shop at the lower end of the Championship financial table but Aaron Cresswell's departure to West Ham could free up some significant funds for Mick McCarthy to use in the transfer market.
The wage structure at Portman Road must be adhered to, though, and moves such as the one for Jonathan Parr are both adventurous and pragmatic at the same time.
Reported targets: Bartosz Bialkowski - A goalkeeper is high on the wanted list after Scott Loach's exit to Rotherham United but defenders are also a must. Cresswell has been replaced by Parr in a like-for-like swap, but Frazer Richardson has also moved to south Yorkshire and options are thin.
Prospects: Expect the Tractor Boys' recruitment drive to ramp up a couple of notches after Cresswell's departure. They have adequate numbers in midfield but would be attracted to any potential deal for Jonathan Williams, loan or permanent. A move for another striker may also not be out of the question.
Now read part one of our Championship transfer progress report - click here to see how Town's rivals are faring this summer
Which Huddersfield Town players would you keep and which would you sell - click here to have your say
Now put your Championship gossip knowledge to the test with our quiz - click here to have a go
Click here for more Huddersfield Town news
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