Henshall had been asked to provide insight into Villa's workings by TransferRoom, which uses its online platform to connect clubs and agents, potentially initiating or accelerating moves. Ideally, clubs aim to work at least one window ahead, with one senior Premier League recruitment executive insisting anything else is "reactionary". Many lower EFL clubs also look to time moves to save on wages, signing someone later in the window meaning they might save weeks' worth of salary payments. But for all, planning starts early with work on the summer window typically starting almost immediately after the winter window. One lower league club has previously searched for targets' agents on Instagram.