The summer transfer window does not officially open until July 1, and yet Huddersfield Town have already announced six new additions to the first team squad.
And they will reap the benefits of this early recruitment throughout the 2016/17 campaign.
David Wagner has made it clear that the club’s business isn’t finished yet, but we may have to wait until we are closer to the end of the window before the identity of further new faces become confirmed.
That’s understandable when operating in a complicated, murky world where every club is desperate to find a replacement before selling, and the resulting merry-go-round still has plenty of twists and turns before September.
However, the way business has been conducted so far should give Town fans plenty of confidence.
The manager has used his first few months in Yorkshire to identify the squad’s weak points and target ideal replacements.
And they now look well-placed to smile on serenely from the sidelines and not have to take part in the traditional trolley dash in the last week of August that can resemble a badly-stocked supermarket on Christmas Eve that leaves desperate shoppers scrapping over the last available turkey.
That forward-planning was vital in securing the signatures of Chris Loewe and Michael Hefele, who were out of contract and extremely attractive options – Town were able to make their move before the hordes descended.
Hefele and Loewe now have the chance to spend pre-season with Town, bond with their new teammates, and get a head start.
Rajiv van La Parra already has the advantage of knowing Wagner’s favoured system, but Ivan Paurevic will need a refresher course while Jack Payne and Joel Coleman are coming in fresh.
All of them will need a chance to prove themselves before the season kicks off.
But they will now get it, meaning the majority of the squad available to David Wagner on September 1 will have had a full pre-season together and should work as a unit, rather than trying to learn each other’s games in the two or three days available between matches once the season gets going.
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And it also puts far less pressure on the manager to throw in his newest players immediately with little training behind them - a factor Wagner values.
By getting a good chunk of business done early, the club will be confident they can take their time completing other deals.
With the majority in place, Town are far less susceptible to other clubs holding them to ransom knowing they are desperate to bring in bodies with the opening games rapidly appearing over the horizon.
Wagner himself has said he is confident in moving on from targets if the business doesn't suit the club, or indeed drags on too long - the case of Jamie Paterson being the obvious example.
Business will get done in the closing weeks of the transfer window. It is inevitable due to the way transfer dominos fall.
But the the recruitment so far marks Town out as a stable, sensible operation who will move quietly and quickly to get their shopping done efficiently.
It bodes well.
