Huddersfield Town wrapped up 2020/21 with a draw with Reading over the weekend, with Carlos Corberan and the board wasting no time in putting plans in place for a summer of recruitment.  

On Tuesday, the club’s retained list was confirmed.

Juninho Bacuna, Isaac Mbenza, Alex Vallejo and Romoney Crichlow have all been signed up to new one-year agreements, as has Corberan’s go-to striking option, Fraizer Campbell.

Richard Keogh is in talks over a new contract, whilst nine senior players have also been released, including Christopher Schindler, Alex Pritchard, Yaya Sanogo and Oumar Niasse, who never featured for Town.

This is just the start for Huddersfield, though, with serious work to be done in the transfer window to revamp a squad that finished a lowly 20^th in 20/21.

With that in mind, we take a look at a couple of key ins and outs we expect to see at the John Smith’s Stadium:

This will probably be one of those transfers that ends up going in the ‘worst kept secret’ folder.

Rhodes is out of contract at Sheffield Wednesday on the back of their relegation into League One, with it Football League World’s understanding that he’s highly likely to end up back with Huddersfield.

The 31-year-old scored 87 goals for Town between 2009 and 2012, proving to be a real success.

He’s since had spells with Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday.

In 2020/21, he scored seven goals for the Owls, but couldn’t help fire them to safety on the final day of the season.

Huddersfield won’t be pushing Phillips out of the door, but you do feel that the young striker could do with a loan deal away from the John Smith’s Stadium and a proper taste of senior football.

Campbell has signed up and Rhodes is expected to come in, adding to Josh Koroma and Danny Ward in the striking department.

Corberan will want another option, then he might be open to letting Phillips move out of the club on loan.

There are sure to be League One and League Two clubs interested in doing a deal for the talented 21-year-old.

It is also the understanding of Football League World that Huddersfield are making checks on Godwin-Malife at Forest Green Rovers.

The defender is a versatile option, which will obviously appeal to Corberan this summer.

Godwin-Malife has just helped Forest Green into the League Two play-offs, though, so is likely to have a full focus on that heading into the remainder of the month.

Nevertheless, as Huddersfield look for defensive reinforcements, there is a chance they could move on this initial interest.

Preston North End could well rival them, though, with Town’s fellow Championship club also interested.

This is an interesting one given that Huddersfield have just triggered their 12-month option on the midfielder’s contract at the John Smith’s Stadium.

There’s every chance that Corberan might want to keep Bacuna given he played regularly in 2020/21, but there’s also a chance that Huddersfield have only triggered this agreement to make sure they get a fee for the midfielder.

Lewis O’Brien and Duane Holmes are contracted to the club for 21/22, whilst Scott High is progressing nicely. That trio cover Bacuna’s position, whilst there might also be the desire to link back up with Carel Eiting.

Where that leaves Bacuna is anyone’s guess. If there’s interest in him, he might be moved on.

Onto Eiting now.

The Dutchman is heading back to Ajax after his loan with Huddersfield expired at the conclusion of the 2020/21 campaign.

Eiting made 23 appearances in the Championship, scoring three goals and registering three assists, with his form between October and December a real plus.

Injury denied him an opportunity to build on that properly in 2021, but Eiting was back towards the end of the campaign, providing something positive for Corberan.

You’ve got to imagine that Corberan will be in the ear of Leigh Bromby asking for a fresh agreement to be struck with Ajax.

In a similar scenario to Bacuna, we could well see Huddersfield looking to cash in on the winger now Mbenza has had his 12-month option taken up on his contract at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Mbenza made 36 appearances in the Championship last season, scoring five goals and registering seven assists.

When Huddersfield were doing well, the 25-year-old was performing to a decent standard, but his impact wasn’t there when it was needed in the second-half of the campaign.

It’s not set in stone, but watching how this summer pans out for Mbenza will be interesting. There’s a chance he could be shifted on.

An interesting link that’s emerged is Huddersfield’s apparent interest in doing a deal to sign Lazaro from Flamengo.

It’s claimed by other outlets that Huddersfield’s interest in the 19-year-old has been bubbling away for some time, with Town now ready to push forward in their pursuit of a transfer.

Lazaro has failed to score in eight senior appearances for Flamengo, but is still regarded as a top young talent and with plenty of potential.

Whether or not this goes ahead over the summer, we aren’t sure, but Huddersfield’s search for reinforcements is likely to take them down a number of different paths.

It’s hard to know what Huddersfield’s plan is right now with regard to O’Brien.

He is the club’s best player and, at this point, probably their most saleable asset and sure to attract Premier League interest.

Huddersfield could, arguably, fund their entire summer by cashing in on the 22-year-old.

However, he would leave a major hole in the squad behind that, simply, would have to be filled in some way.

When he’s not been around in 2020/21, Huddersfield have struggled and really lacked the go-forward that he brings.

It isn’t what any Huddersfield fan wants, but seeing O’Brien leave is something that many are expecting to see.