Steve Bruce will get the chance to splash a little bit of cash

But the boss believes it won’t take vast sums of cash to freshen up his side – with the 61-year-old eager to exploit the free agent market.

A host of top Championship players are out of contract at the end of the campaign with Reading’s John Swift, Millwall’s Jed Wallace and Blackburn’s Joe Rothwell and Darragh Lenihan just some of the bargains to be found.

And Bruce believes the Championship is a division where teams don’t necessarily need to spend a lot to become competitive.

“We will have a little bit,” the boss said when asked if he will have money to spend in the window.

“But Nottingham Forest have transformed their squad.

“Huddersfield, (manager) Carlos Corbernn has done a marvellous job. They finished 20th last year and have barely bought a player but they are now third.

“Forest finished 17th last year. Now they are fourth and could finish higher.

“Millwall are making a fist of it.

“You don’t have to (spend a lot).

“But what you have to do is get the balance of the squad right and the right type of people who can make a fist of the Championship.

“It’s an absolute marathon of a league. It’s relentless. Saturday-Tuesday week after week and getting the balance of the squad right is enormously important.”

Bruce believes it takes a certain type of player to be successful in the Championship.

“There is a certain demand on you and the one thing the Championship now has is the physicality of the Premier League,” he said.

“They are getting there. That used to be the big difference – the physicality between the Championship and Premier League.

“It now takes a certain type to play in the Championship and you need a certain resilience.”

Bruce says he has already identified his top transfer targets.

“We have been busy but every club will have been busy – if you are doing your job right you never stand still,” he continued.

“We’ve done our homework.”