Neil Warnock proved Huddersfield Town need quality over depth in transfer window

January’s transfer window was all about the short term, understandably so given the position Town were in both in the league table and behind the scenes with talks over the takeover deal that was eventually announced in March then ongoing.

Town brought in six new arrivals, none of whom look like being at the club next season, while a loan move away for Sorba Thomas was permitted partly because he had fallen out of favour with Mark Fotheringham and partly to help balance the books with sheer numbers deemed to be required – most especially cover for the injured Lee Nicholls and Danny Ward.

Only most of those signings turned out not to be required after all. Matt Lowton was in the side initially, but some poor performances meant he played no part in the final two and a half months of the season. Anthony Knockaert barely played through a combination of personal issues and injury. Florian Kamberi made just a single appearance, in the FA Cup. Jordan Smith did not play at all, though in fairness he wasn’t especially expected to.

Read more: Sorba Thomas has clear aim after being dropped both at Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers

Only Tomas Vaclik and Joe Hungbo (and, initially, Martyn Wahorn) played a significant role for Town in the end, and even then Hungbo was mostly used as a (highly-effective) impact substitute. When it was all said and done, Town’s trip to see the transfer wizard left them coming away having learned that they had what they needed inside them all along: Neil Warnock showed that Josh Koroma, Jaheim Headley, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Brahima Diarra and Ben Jackson were all well capable of playing a part for a successful side.

The potentially-departing Koroma aside, all are set to be at the club again next season. So too will some promising youngsters who played smaller parts under Warnock, like Scott High, Etienne Camara and Kian Harratt. All being well, Town may also be able to add Duane Holmes and Yuta Nakayama back into the fold for the new season after they missed the end of the season injured, while Ollie Turton will be back at some point too. And there are a few who have been out on loan this season – from Thomas to Loick Ayina – who can be integrated into the squad, too.

Not all of those players are destined to start every game next season, but there is enough evidence to suggest they are capable of coming into the squad as required – whether that be because of form, fitness or specific tactical needs – and doing a job.

That leaves Town in much the same position they were in last summer after Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo left, arguably slightly better now that their academy graduates are a year further along in their development and Jack Rudoni and David Kasumu have bedded into Championship life. Namely, they urgently need quality signings (and/or contract renewals) to fill some notable gaps in the starting line-up, but depth-wise they’re pretty well fine everywhere except on the wings.