Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has already started the process of identifying the targets he wants to bring to Pittodrie this summer.
The Dons still have plenty to play for during the rest of the campaign as they chase success in the Scottish Cup and a fourth consecutive top two finish in the Scottish Premiership.
But with several players due to depart this summer, McInnes is wasting no time in searching for replacements.
Anthony O’Connor, Kari Arnason, Nicky Maynard and Danny Rogers are all approaching the end of their contracts, while loan players Ryan Christie, Kenny McLean, Chidi Nwakali, Greg Stewart, Dominic Ball and Freddie Woodman are all due to return to their parent clubs in the summer.
McInnes said: “We’re looking forward to the summer to getting one or two things done that we maybe need addressed now.
“It depends how we finish the season.
“I know where I want to address and where we haven’t quite been able to in one or two areas in the team this season.
“How active we’ll be depends on what happens between now and the end of the season.
“I think last year was really unusual because we’d managed to keep all our players up until then.
“Last year was the first time that we had to deal with losing players we really wanted to keep.
“Losing half of your outfield team was difficult for us but it’s a challenge for every manager when they lose key players is to try and replace.
“It’s difficult to replace like-for-like and I feel this is the start of a new team, to be honest.”
The Dons defender also remains optimistic that defender Mickey Devlin, who joined the Dons from Hamilton during the January transfer window, could feature this season.
The former Accies captain has not played since suffering a cruciate ligament injury on the final day of the 2016-17 season.
McInnes said: “He is doing fine. He’s been at every game which is good.
“You know exactly what he’s going to be and I think he and Scott McKenna have the potential to be a fantastic pairing.
“They’re both young, good types and he was captain of Hamilton for a reason because he’s a certain type of person.
“Hopefully he will be back before the end of the season but the important thing is we have him available for the start of the next one.”