Huddersfield Town continue to underwhelm in the Championship under Carlos Corberan, despite a positive start to the campaign.

Corberan’s initial arrival at the John Smith’s Stadium brought positivity to Huddersfield, which was matched by a steady, yet unspectacular, first-half of 2020/21.

However, injuries have pinched since the turn of the year and results have suffered.

The Terriers have been free falling into a relegation battle for some weeks and a 5-2 defeat at the hands of a Blackburn Rovers, who have had struggles of their own, was a sign of exactly where the Terriers are.

On the horizon is a huge summer transfer window, with a number of players out of contract and looking set to leave the club.

They will, then, need replacing and those that come in have to elevate the squad and complement what’s already there under Corberan, should he be retained as head coach.

With that in mind, we take a look at what the club’s starting XI could potentially look like next season…

It feels like Schofield has been thrown in the deep end this season at Huddersfield. He’s done well on the whole, but also failed to convince the bulk of the club’s supporters thanks to some suspect moments.

The hope will be that the experience of this season will aid his development and mean that next year he’s ready to step up a level with regard to his performance.

A more senior back-up might help push him on and provide sturdier competition.

However, looking at the market and the squad assembled at the moment, Schofield has every chance of starting next season as the club’s first choice.

In an indifferent season, Pipa has been one player to really stand up and be counted in the Huddersfield squad.

The Spanish right-back has scored twice and registered four assists for Huddersfield this season, teasing that there’s a lot more to come as his career progresses.

At 23, he will develop further and that really whets the appetite given he’s been one of Corberan’s key attacking outlets this season.

There’s little doubt that, all being well, he is going to be the right-back at Huddersfield for years to come if the club can match his ambition and start moving in the right direction.

Richard Keogh, Richard Stearman and Christopher Schindler are all out of contract in the summer transfer window, so a senior centre-back to come into the squad will be a necessity.

However, there’s an argument that Edmonds-Green deserves a chance to develop after a decent impact in difficult circumstances this term.

The centre-back has good ability on the ball, whilst he’s grown into a much more astute defender over the course of the campaign.

Corberan has been forced to use him at right-back on occasion, which has impacted his performance levels, but when used on the right of a two-man defensive unit, he’s done well.

Sarr has had a couple of horror moments since arriving at the John Smith’s Stadium you can’t deny that. However, he’s also been a player that’s played a large chunk of minutes and looked good enough for Town’s level.

You can dream of upgrading him, but the fact is that Sarr is consistent enough to warrant Huddersfield carrying him into next season.

The 27-year-old is heading into the peak years of his career and is someone that’s offered good balance to Corberan given he’s left-footed and fairly decent on the ball.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s a fairly easy decision when you break down this squad.

Toffolo, before his suspension and injury, had been one of the Championship’s standout left-backs and Huddersfield are lucky to have him on their books.

The former Lincoln City full-back is a solid defender and often comes out on top when it comes to defensive commitments, whilst he’s also a really threatening attacking outlet.

Corberan’s system requires attack-minded full-backs like Pipa and Toffolo, so Huddersfield will hope to retain both in the summer.

The biggest threat to that will be offers coming in for either over the course of a long summer transfer window.

Toffolo is good enough for a higher level, but it’s down to Town to show ambition.

This is another easy selection given Hogg’s longevity during his time as a Huddersfield player.

The midfielder has seen a lot at the John Smith’s Stadium and has stood up to be counted again this season in a tough campaign.

Hogg doesn’t provide anything too flashy in the middle of the pitch, but he’s solid and protects the defence, allowing the aforementioned full-backs the licence to get forwards.

He’s got fresh terms in West Yorkshire and is likely to be the man wearing the captain’s armband moving forwards into next season.

Some competition for him wouldn’t go amiss, though.

It’s not been an easy start to life back in a Huddersfield shirt for Holmes, following his January arrival from Derby County.

Corberan has asked him to be versatile, playing him in midfield, further forwards and even as a wing-back. That, though, has contributed to his inconsistent performances.

Holmes has a long-term contract behind him and was seen as someone to come in and play central midfield for Huddersfield.

You feel that 2021/22 is going to be a chance for him to do that and Huddersfield will probably look to give him that opportunity.

Whether you agree with that or not, it could well be the way Huddersfield go.

There’s a possibility that O’Brien might be snapped up by a Premier League side this summer. He is one of their key players and has been excellent for the most part of two seasons in the Championship.

Obviously Huddersfield are going to want to keep him moving into next season, building their side around players of his, Toffolo and Pipa’s ilk.

It’s easier said than done, of course, but if Huddersfield have any ambition of progressing, keeping players like O’Brien is a must.

He’s got the ability and ambition to drive the club forwards on the pitch, as well as off it.

On the right of midfield, we take a look at a player that could well be coming onto the Huddersfield radar this summer.

Mendes Gomes has scored 15 times this season for Morecambe in League Two, proving to be key to putting them in contention for automatic promotion at the sharp end of the season.

Football League World understands that he is on the Huddersfield radar and could be a fine option to come into the squad in the summer.

Playing off either flank, the 22-year-old could have a similar impact to someone Josh Koroma, stepping out of the lower echelons of the Football League.

We also understand that Rhodes could be Huddersfield-bound in the summer.

The striker made a name for himself with the Terriers between 2009 and 2012, thriving as Huddersfield began climbing from the third-tier of English football.

He’s since gone on to do well for Blackburn Rovers, but hasn’t hit the heights expected of him with Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday.

His contract with the latter is running down now and he’s set to be on the move elsewhere.

That could well be Huddersfield, who will hope that if Rhodes does return, he can provide the goals the club need in 2021/22.

Koroma started the season on fire and was a big reason why Corberan’s side were doing so well heading into Christmas, scoring six goals.

However, injury struck in the December win over Sheffield Wednesday, leaving Koroma sidelined with a tricky hamstring problem.

He’s returned to the starting XI recently and scored in Saturday’s heavy defeat at the hands of Blackburn to take his tally to the season to seven.

If he’d stayed fit, who knows where Huddersfield might have ended up this season. He, O’Brien, Toffolo and Pipa are the players this side should be built around.

By retaining them and adding to their quality, Huddersfield should be set up for a much more successful and consistent 2020/21.