Leeds United took a while to get going in 23/24’s promotion race due to a huge overhaul, but they may be on the other side of this situation next season.
After relegation from the Premier League, everything was to change and Leeds and was in dire need of it too, starting with the 49ers’ long-awaited takeover of the club.
From thereon, the overhaul trickled down into the playing side, with the squad getting drastic changes in August that came to fruition late in the window, allowing Leeds to put behind them their poor start and kick into gear.
Unlike 2023’s summer window, there’s far less uncertainty clouding Leeds’ efforts to stage a rebuild under the 49ers.
The takeover is done, the boardroom has been effectively restructured with a far greater recruitment setup, the manager is in the doors and backed to succeed, and the playing squad is going to get the attention it requires.
For the squad, there are going to be exits, it won’t be a mass exodus and the PSR standing of the club means they will be able to reinvest to replace each outgoing.
Given Leeds dropped seven points in the first three games, and finished six adrift of second by the end of the regular season, such margins are vital to close up.
Elsewhere in the Championship, there is going to be a lot of change for the sides that will be looked at as Leeds’ main rivals for the top two.
Burnley should be considered one of the favourites, given their squad and how they steamrolled the league in 22/23, but they have now lost the man who bossed their title-winning season in Vincent Kompany, who has joined Bayern Munich.

A change in management will see the Clarets require patience for whoever replaces him to get their style across.
As for Luton Town, their changes won’t be too massive under Rob Edwards, unless another club in the top flight fancies taking him.
Sheffield United may end up retaining Chris Wilder as boss, but the squad at Bramall Lane is in dire need of investment, and it’s hard to see how they manage that right away with very few saleable assets – and a two-point deduction to kick things off.
Meanwhile, fifth-placed West Brom may lose Carlos Corberan if Leicester fancy him to replace Enzo Maresca, who is at the helm at Chelsea, weakening another promotion contender.
David Wagner left Norwich City mere hours after being thumped by Leeds, his replacement being Johannes Hoff Thorup – another transition looming for a top-six side from last season, while Hull City have lost game-changing loan players and are having to replace Liam Rosenior.
When you add to that the lack of Ipswich Town-style unicorn emerging from League One – maybe Portsmouth can surprise a few – then you have an overall weaker division in 24/25 that might take time to get going, while Leeds should be looking to hit this promotion charge head-on from minute one.