The concept of clubs winning the transfer window is surely the most ephemeral in an environment like football where success is often transient and even more so in a league notoriously as difficult to predict as Serie B.

Appointed a new manager? So have half of the teams in the league. Signed a new striker and two new midfielders? Join the queue.

And yet, even with all the usual disclaimers in place, it would be difficult to suggest Palermo will not start next season as clear favourites to clinch one of the two automatic promotion spots.

After coming unstuck in the play-offs against Juve Stabia two months ago, the Rosanero have wasted no time in reshaping their squad.

Antonio Palumbo and Emmanuel Gyasi arrived from Modena and relegated Empoli, respectively, to strengthen Palermo’s midfield, while Mattia Bani and Tommaso Augello made a step down from Serie A to bolster the Sicilians’ defence.

The biggest signing of all, however, has arguably come in the dugout where Filippo Inzaghi replaced Alessio Dionisi.

Fresh from taking Pisa back to Serie A for the first time in 34 years, Inzaghi opted to remain in calcio’s second tier instead and will now look to complete a hat-trick of promotions after taking Benevento to the top flight five years ago.

Pisa’s promotion challenge was a genuine surprise, coming as it did after they finished 13th last term with a negative goal difference, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Flying under a radar is a luxury Inzaghi will not be afforded at Palermo, where City Football Group’s investment is yet to pay off as the Rosanero are entering their ninth consecutive Serie B season.

But the former Juventus and AC Milan striker relishes the challenge.

“From the day I learned I would be Palermo manager, I’ve felt a profound sense of responsibility,” he told Palermo’s in-house podcast Torretta Café earlier this month.

“I feel it every single day. It’s clear that it’s something special here.”

Inzaghi’s first task will be to restore a sense of identity in his team, something which proved beyond Dionisi’s grasp last season.

Dionisi never quite managed to get the best out of a talented squad and lived on borrowed time for the majority of the campaign.

Backed to the tune of £10million (€11.5m) in signings by City Football Group, Dionisi often resembled a man confused by the array of options at his disposal.

Having started the season wedded to his preferred 4-3-3, the former Sassuolo manager switched to a three-man defence in December as the Sicilians adopted a 3-1-4-2 formation.

Further tinkering followed in the new year, as Dionisi eventually settled for a more balanced 3-4-1-2.

Pisa, on the other hand, had no such issues. Their colours firmly tied to the 3-4-2-1 mast, Pisa were the only team capable of keeping pace with Sassuolo, finishing six points behind the Serie B champions with the second-most prolific attack.

Even when the Tuscans led the table for three months until the end of November, common wisdom suggested they would run out of steam. But, they did not. 

For staying the course, enormous credit must go to Inzaghi, who exuded a calm and poise that had deserted him during disappointing spells at Milan, Bologna and Salernitana.

While Inzaghi’s zen-like approach kept Pisa ticking over, Dionisi floundered amid high expectations in the supremely demanding environment that is the Renzo Barbera.

In a season of questionable choices, his decision to hand Matteo Brunori just five starts between August and January after he scored 17 league goals in each of the last two Serie B campaigns was his most baffling.

It is no coincidence that eight of the 30-year-old’s nine league goals came after he was restored to the starting XI at the end of December.

Brunori struck a prolific partnership with Joel Pohjanpalo and their goals will be crucial to Inzaghi’s plans. A €4m signing from Venezia in the January transfer window, the Finland international scored nine in his first nine games, but failed to score in his last six outings.

In Jeremy Le Douaron, who scored six goals after signing from Stade Brest for £3m last year, they have another potent attacking weapon at their disposal, but uncertainty surrounds the goalkeeping role with Salvatore Sirigu released and Emil Audero returning to Como after the end of his loan spell.

While Dionisi swiftly became persona non grata in Sicily as the Rosanero struggled to keep pace with their rivals, Inzaghi has been the toast of the city so far.

But the 2006 World Cup winner knows all too well he must deliver results for the feeling to continue.

“The affection I’m receiving is certainly undeserved, but it makes me feel highly responsible and incredibly motivated,” he said.

“I can’t wait to fill the Barbera stadium and show other teams just how difficult it is to play against us.”