With just over a fortnight until the season kicks off Mark Hughes will have to hit the ground running if, as expected, he is confirmed as Fulham manager.

The club, stung by the embarrassment caused by the very public nature of their failure to lure Martin Jol to Craven Cottage, are only saying that a replacement for Roy Hodgson is expected to be named within the next 24 to 48 hours.

But it is understood that an agreement in principle has been reached with Hughes, and that lawyers are now going over the fine print of a contract thought to be worth up to £2 million a year.

If the 46-year-old Welshman is to earn his money, he will have to act quickly in order to solve a number of crucial issues relating to both the playing and backroom staff. After all Fulham's opening Premier League game is at Bolton Wanderers a fortnight on Saturday and their first home fixture, a big test against Manchester United is the following Sunday.

Ray Lewington, the long-time servant of Fulham who remains hugely popular among fans and in the dressing room, will almost certainly remain in charge for Saturday's friendly at Portsmouth.

But while it is believed that Lewington, unbeaten in the four pre-season matches he has already presided over following Hodgson's departure to Liverpool, has been assured of a job under Hughes, there is uncertainty over what that role will be.

Hughes is thought to have told Fulham owner Mohamed Fayed that he wants his own backroom team of long-term lieutenant Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki, and goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock, to join him.

Their expected arrival should see Mike Kelly, Hodgson's right-hand man at Fulham, leave to join his former boss at Anfield.

Hughes has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester City last December but he will not have agreed to uproot his family from Cheshire had he not been assured by Fayed that a significant sum of money would be available for transfers.

With up to £20million to spend, his first target could be Craig Bellamy, the enigmatic striker he took from West Ham to Eastlands for £14m in January 2009. With Erik Nevland having to return to Viking in Norway, and Andrew Johnson still not in first-team action as the former England forward recovers from a long term knee injury, Fulham desperately need to strengthen their attack.

However, while Roberto Mancini, Hughes' successor at Manchester City, has signalled he might be ready to accept offers for Bellamy — Tottenham were said to be ready with a bid of £4m — Hughes would have to be at his persuasive best to get his fellow Welshman to accept a deal probably worth little more than half his wages of around £90,000 a week.

Furthermore, unlike last season, Fulham cannot offer the attraction of European football — something Bellamy would get at City or Spurs.

A move to White Hart Lane would mean Champions League football, a competition which saw him enjoy one of his greatest moments as he scored in the Nou Camp during Liverpool's 2-1 win over Barcelona.

While looking for goals at one end of the pitch, Hughes will want to retain Fulham's reputation for resolute and well-organised defending that was a principle feature of Hodgson's successful reign.

That means sorting out the future of veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who has been the target of a £2m bid from Arsenal. That was rebuffed but while sources suggest Arsene Wenger has not been back with a renewed offer, he may do that once the new man is in charge.

An obvious replacement for Schwarzer is the highly experienced David James, surplus to requirements at cash-strapped Portsmouth. But Hughes would have to move quickly to stave off rival interest from Celtic and Sunderland.

In Hughes's favour is the knowledge that James would prefer to stay down south and a regular place in Fulham's starting line-up might help James keep the England jersey from Joe Hart whose part in Mancini's plans at City remain unclear.

Steve Sidwell, Aston Villa's out-of-favour midfielder, has been waiting for a new manager to be confirmed before putting his signature to a £2m move to Fulham. Hughes's arrival could set the wheels in motion there.

Of the current squad, players such as Paul Konchesky, the left-back linked with a reunion with Hodgson, and striker Zamora might have concerns over their Fulham futures placated by a manager whose nickname Sparky' reflects the passion he has displayed as a player with Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea, and on the touchline with Wales, Blackburn and City.

In truth, though, Hughes will need to show more than just passion if he is to come close to replicating Hodgson's heroics.

They, of course, included leading Fulham to a club-best finish of seventh in the Premier League and beating Juventus, Hamburg and Wolfsburg on the way to last season's Europa League final where Fulham suffered extra-time heartbreak against Atletico Madrid. The incredible 4-1 second leg victory over Juventus gave Fulham's faithful their greatest night at Craven Cottage and captured the imagination of football supporters up and down the country.

Fayed will be looking for evolution, rather than revolution, from the new regime. The passing game encouraged by Hodgson proved more suited to the west London club's chief aim of Premier League survival than the more direct play favoured by Lawrie Sanchez.

Hughes's teams have tended to be physically strong and imposing. If he can combine that style with the football Fulham fans have become accustomed to, maybe Jol will not be such a missed fish after all.