Aberdeen still have much work to do in the summer transfer window to build a squad capable of being successful in Europe.
Manager Barry Robson and the Pittodrie board have made a decent start with six additions secured.
It is a case of so far, so good.
Robson has completed the permanent signings of Graeme Shinnie, Leighton Clarkson, Ester Sokler, Nicky Devlin and Ross Doohan.
Liverpool centre-back Rhys Williams has also arrived on a season-long loan deal.
However, more bodies are still required to beef up the squad in preparation for the European games in particular.
The defence, midfield and attack all need strengthened further.
Competing in Europe is going to be a testing time where the Dons’ squad will be stretched.
Aberdeen enter the Europa League play-offs on August 24.
If they win the play-off, the Reds will qualify for the Europa League group stages.
Should Aberdeen lose the play-offs, they still drop into the group stages of the Conference League.
Either way, they are guaranteed at least eight European games in the upcoming campaign.
However, Aberdeen will want there to be more than eight games.
They will want it to be a successful campaign in Europe, and hopefully they can seal progress from the groups.
To be successful in Europe, the Dons will certainly need a longer list of players at the manager’s disposal.
You can be fortunate with everything going well for you, where you don’t get injuries.
However, if injuries begin to mount up, then it can really take it’s toll – which was illustrated by Hearts in Europe last season.
You need to build a squad strong enough to cope with the demands of playing in Europe along with the commitments at home.
I don’t think it can be taken lightly that a thin squad would struggle to deal with the pressures that are put on them by European participation.
There needs to be more experienced signings secured in the transfer window.
I am sure the club will be working hard to strengthen further and there is still time to do that.
However, as well as players coming in to Pittodrie, there is also the question of will any key stars exit the club this summer?
Is there any chance of players like Duk, Bojan Miovski and Ylber Ramadani leaving, as there are reports all three are being tracked by clubs across Europe?
Only the club will know that.
The scenario Aberdeen don’t want is to lose players late in the transfer window and have to scrape around late on to try to fill those gaps.
The great news this summer was signing Shinnie and Clarkson on long-term permanent deals.
Both captain Shinnie and midfielder Clarkson were hugely influential last season.
Securing the permanent signing of Shinnie on a three-year deal after his exit from Wigan Athletic was a major boost as he is the inspirational skipper.
Signing midfielder Clarkson on a four-year contract from Liverpool was a transfer coup as he is a hugely talented, creative player.
Defensively left-centre back and left-back is an area that still needs to be prioritised at Aberdeen.
Celtic defender Liam Scales impressed during his loan at Aberdeen from the Parkhead club last season.
If the Dons could sign Scales on a permanent deal that would give them a centre-back and left-back option if Robson wants to go to a back four.
The midfield also still needs to be strengthened, though.
Shinnie, Clarkson and Ramadani will likely be the three in that area and that is a strong trio.
However, if anything happens to any of those three, the Dons only really have Connor Barron, whose future has been uncertain for a number of months now.
The attack also needs strengthened, despite the signing of Sokler.
Bojan Miovski, Duk and the new man Sokler is a strong attack, but I still think that area needs beefed up further.
Competing on the European and domestic fronts will test Aberdeen all over the park.
And they will need a strong squad with numbers and depth to cope.
There is still work required to deliver that.
Lewis exits with his head held high
Keeper Joe Lewis can exit Aberdeen with his head held high after seven years of service with the club.
Lewis had a year left on his contract, but opted to leave Aberdeen.
For the vast majority of his time at Pittodrie, Lewis was first choice between the sticks.
Lewis lost that number one spot to Kelle Roos last season.
During his time at Pittodrie, Lewis was an excellent keeper and also took on the responsibility of captaining the club.
It is a measure of the man that he was willing to take on the captaincy.
He led by example and was a great servant to Aberdeen.
Lewis’ performances were at a very high level for the vast majority of his time at Pittodrie.
He was unfortunate to be part of Jim Goodwin’s final months as Dons’ manager.
It would have been a big disappointment for Lewis to be involved in those humiliating losses to Hearts (5-0) and Hibs (6-0) in the Premiership, and Darvel (1-0) in the Scottish Cup.
He came back into the starting line-up for those games as Dutchman Roos was injured.
Goodwin was sacked as manager following that run of defeats.
However, I don’t think anyone will be looking at Lewis’ spell at Aberdeen in anything other than a very positive light.
There will be a disappointment with Lewis that he exits Pittodrie without a winner’s medal.
Lewis played in three cup finals with Aberdeen under former boss Derek McInnes.
However, he unfortunately came up against an unstoppable juggernaut in that Celtic team.
It is heart-wrenching when you get to a cup final, but don’t actually lift the trophy.
No-one really remembers you for getting to a final – and then losing it.
Yes, you can put it on your CV that you played in a final, but once you get there the prize is lifting the trophy.
Lewis was very unfortunate to be part of an Aberdeen team that did particularly well but came up against a Celtic team that was dominating competitions.
Ultimately Aberdeen fell short at the last hurdle and Lewis was denied that feeling of being able to lift a trophy.
Disappointment if teen star Pirie departs Dons
Aberdeen will be disappointed teenage striker Lewis Pirie appears set to sign for Championship club Leeds United.
The 16-year-old is reportedly set to sign on at Leeds in a move that could be worth up to £200,000 in compensation for the Dons.
However, Aberdeen will be frustrated he is set to move on.
It is disappointing we will not get to see a striker who scored 51 goals last season push to break into the Aberdeen first team.
The downside of the development programme is that youngsters are allowed to go at a very early age for very little compensation.
Ryan Fraser came through and at least Aberdeen got some time from him in the first team before he moved to England with Bournemouth.
The Dons got a good few seasons from Scott McKenna in the first team
A good fee was secured for McKenna – with the defender making a £3 million transfer to Nottingham Forest.
I am sure Aberdeen will keep close tabs on Pirie.
If it doesn’t develop down there the way the teen is hoping, then there is always the chance you could see him back at the club.
I don’t think that is a negative way to look at it. That is a sensible, business way to look at it.
Aberdeen put a lot of time and effort into developing young players.
The last thing they want is to see him leave without getting true value from him on the field and later on with a transfer fee.