NIGEL Clough has started thinking about new recruits for next season even before the final game off this season has been played.
The Brewers end the campaign at home to Reading on Sunday with a noon kick off but Clough is already planning for Albion’s second season in the Championship.
He said: “Next season will be even harder – especially when you look at the teams coming up from League One and down from the Premier League. There will be very few teams in the Championship next season who haven’t been in the Premier League.”
Clough therefore knows the importance of summer signings.
He said: “We had two lists - one if we stayed up and one if we went down. We have been looking at players already.
“We have a few lads to talk to about their contract situation. We haven’t too many under contract. So there is a lot of work to do in the next few weeks.
“The loans are more difficult as they often don’t become available until August. None of the lads we brought in during January were even available last August.
“We have the challenge of trying to get those unknown players the bigger clubs will slightly overlook but who will suit us.
“It will be the same for us next season but we will ask if we can improve on the players we have got and on our performances this season."