Huddersfield 2017/18 Premier League season preview: Can they hold on to David Wagner long enough to survive?

How will the Terriers do on their Premier League debut?

Huddersfield are the early favourites for the drop but midtable is a real possibility (Getty)

What’s changed?

Everything. Huddersfield Town are in the Premier League for the first time in their history and it's a pretty big deal.

If you have been following the Football League then you will know that this isn't a club who have exactly done it on a shoestring budget but it is one who have deserved their promotion and David Wagner has established himself as one of the most promising coaches around.

Who’s in?

Aaron Mooy was at the centre of their promotion push and a deal was quickly finalised to sign him permanently from Manchester City for a club-record fee. Shortly afterwards that record was broken again, with Montpellier's Steve Mounié arriving for £12m.

Mounié will need to hit the ground running in the Premier League if the Terriers are to survive, and attack has been an obvious focus of their summer recruitment with Tom Ince handed another crack at the top flight and Laurent Delpoitre a potential bargain buy from Porto.

Those in the know suggest Mathias Jorgensen may be the best signing of the summer. The FC Copenhagen defender could become a good Premier League centre-back and cost just £2m.

Who’s out?

Izzy Brown, a star on loan from Chelsea has not returned for a second spell unlike clubmate Kasey Palmer.

The rest of the departures were all players not considered up to Premier League standard.

How are they going to line up?

Huddersfield are in the big time for the first time ever (Getty)

David Wagner's system morphs but it is most likely to be a 4-4-1-1 shape that depends on disciplined defending from the front.

Wagner, a former Jurgen Klopp assistant, brought many of the Liverpool boss' principles to the Championship last year but wasn't afraid to adapt them for the division nor change things when necessary. Becoming predictable is the worst thing they could do, and he is known to have drilled that into his players.

They will spring a few surprises this season, especially at home.

What’s the one big question that must be answered?

Can they hold onto David Wagner?

The German penned a contract extension this summer but on closer inspection it is more of a gesture than it is a long-term bind to the club.

Wagner has already had his suitors and he will have them again. Should someone of great wealth and reputation go hard for him, it seems unlikely he will be in charge in 12 months time.

What’s the best that could happen?

Survival and a comfortable mid-table finish. And why not?

Can Huddersfield hold on to Wagner? (Getty)

They are the biggest surprise package of all these teams and they have spent a lot of money this summer. Should Mounié live up to his price tag and Wagner continue his miracle then safety is well within reach.

Huddersfield's players will run through walls for him and that spirit is a huge weapon of theirs.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Relegation and a Derby-style hopeless campaign that sucks the positive feeling out of the club. Finishing the season without Wagner at the helm, heading back to the second tier with a £12m flop up front would be a pretty disastrous campaign.