Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin admits his rebuilt side has gelled far quicker than he anticipated.
Goodwin has overhauled the Reds with nine new signings in a busy summer transfer window.
Aberdeen’s board have bankrolled that reconstruction by splashing out transfer fees in excess of £1 million.
Goodwin rebuilt the squad in reaction to the club crashing to a 10th-placed Premiership finish last season.
It was Aberdeen lowest league position since 2014.
Since Goodwin arrived at Pittodrie in mid February, 15 players have exited the club with ten arriving.
Following such an extensive overhaul, Goodwin is surprised, and happy, at the rapid rate the new-look team have clicked.
He said: “The new players have gelled and settled in a lot quicker than I anticipated.
“The way the overall group is looking is what really pleases me.
“Without being disrespectful to the boys who have left, I think we are in a far better place now than when I first came in back in February.
“That has always been the aim, every window you want to come out of it in a better situation.
“Thankfully we’ve done well in the window.
“It doesn’t happen easily as there is a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.
“Not just from me, but the recruitment team and the director of football (Steven Gunn).
“Also the board of directors and chairman (Dave Cormack) have to give me the finance to go and do it.
“We have done good business up to now.”
Changes in every position for Dons
Goodwin has strengthened every position in a squad who missed out on European qualification last season.
Dutch keeper Kelle Roos, signed following the expiration of his contract at Derby County, has replaced Joe Lewis as number one.
A player has been signed in every defensive position.
Left-back Hayden Coulson joined on a season-long loan from Middlesbrough and right-back Jayden Richardson was secured in a £300, 000 deal from Nottingham Forest.
Left-sided centre-back Liam Scales is on a season-long loan from Celtic and right-sided centre-back Anthony Stewart arrived on a free following the end of his deal at Wycombe Wanderers.
Albanian international defensive midfielder Ylber Ramadani was secured for £100,000 from Hungarian club MTK Budapest.
Winger Callum Roberts was signed in a £100,000 transfer from Notts County.
A significant £535,000 fee was paid to MTK Budapest for North Macedonian international striker Bojan Miovski.
Striker Luis Lopes, aka Duk, was also signed in a £400,000 swoop from Portuguese giants Benfica.
Shayden Morris became the latest recruit after he joined the Dons from Fleetwood Town on a four-year deal.
Ronan remains a transfer target
Wolves’ midfielder Connor Ronan remains a summer transfer target.
Ronan, 24, has two years left on his contract at the Premier League club.
It is understood, if Wolves were to sell Ronan this summer, it would take around £500,000 to secure him.
Wolves boss Bruno Lage took Ronan to a recent training camp in Spain and Portugal to assess the midfielder.
It is understood Lage will make a decision on Ronan’s future this week.
Squad gelling on and off the pitch with friendships forming
Goodwin insists the team are also gelling off the pitch as well as on it.
That is a result of looking for the right personalities, as well as football talent, when sourcing summer signings.
He said: “That (gelling) is always in your thought process when building a squad and putting recruitment together.
“We have some really good, talented players in the squad now.
“A number of them with similar personalities and they seem to be mixing really well.
“Vinny Besuijen and Jayden Richardson have struck it off and seem to be very close.
“Obviously, Ylber Ramadami and Bojan Miovski know each other very well from their time at MTK Budapest.
“We don’t want to have too young a squad and we don’t want to have too old a squad either.
“We don’t want anyone to be isolated, especially guys from foreign countries where they have that language barrier.
“We like them to be able to have people within the squad who they can have conversations with.
“Kelle Roos and Vinny have that Dutch thing going on.
Spanish analysts help Duk settle
“We have a couple of Spanish analysts who have joined us.
“Spanish and Portuguese is slightly different, but they can still understand one another and have that level of communication.
“That will be good for Duk (Luis Lopes) as well. So we are sorted in every area.”
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