Aberdeen boss Barry Robson will have a strong first-choice starting XI at his disposal when the new season starts – but he will still need to add more signings to beef up the squad in case that starting XI is hit by injuries, suspension or a drop in form.
There are still more than five weeks remaining in the summer transfer window and Aberdeen are on course to emerge stronger.
So far it has been a case of quality being secured, not quantity.
Boss Robson has signed seven players, with 12 exiting Pittodrie.
He has a strong XI, if defensive targets are signed, but must secure back-up for every position and all eventualities with Euro group stage action looming.
Securing the major transfer coups of signing captain Graeme Shinnie and Leighton Clarkson ensured the Dons midfield should be unchanged from last season.
Influential skipper Shinnie is a driving force, the beating heart of the team with Clarkson the magician that can conjure up game changing moments.
Securing one would have been a bonus for the Dons – signing both on long term permanent contracts was a major statement of intent and provides the foundations for Robson to construct a team.
Aberdeen’s midfield and attack essentially picks itself – and they are potent.
The central midfield will surely be Shinnie, Clarkson and Ylber Ramadani, if the Albanian international is still at Pittodrie.
Reports in Italy at the weekend stated Italian Serie A club Lecce have submitted a bid of €1m (around £865,000) plus add-ons to the Dons for the midfielder.
However, Aberdeen have received no contact from Lecce regarding the defensive midfielder who has two years remaining on his Pittodrie contract.
The attack is likely to be two of Bojan Miovski, Duk and Ester Sokler.
Miovski and Duk both netted 18 goals in all competitions last season for a combined total of 36.
They were close to becoming the first Dons strike duo to hit a combined 40 goals for a campaign in more than 30 years.
Not since the 1992-93 season, with Duncan Shearer (27 goals) and Scott Booth (19), have two Reds strikers reached the 40-goal mark between them.
With eight games guaranteed in the European groups, and Sokler pushing them hard, Duk and Miovski could smash that 40-goal mark this season.
Sokler also has shown early signs he can also be a force in attack with his pace, runs and finishing.
Aberdeen look dangerous in attack and strong in midfield.
The wing-backs are also experienced, quality players with summer signings Or Dadia or Nicky Devlin on the right, and Jonny Hayes on the left.
Boss Robson has opted for a three-man defence in the three friendlies to date and has stuck with the 3-5-2 formation favoured last season.
Early indications are that will be the formation the Dons boss will start the season with.
Centre-backs Angus MacDonald and Rhys Williams are both sidelined by injury and face a battle to be fit for the start of the campaign.
However, Aberdeen are closing in on a deal to sign Serbian centre-back Slobodan Rubezic in a six-figure deal from FK Novi Pazar.
The Dons are confident they have beaten off competition from a number of clubs across Europe to land towering centre-back Rubezic, who could be signed in time to face Livingston in the Premiership season-opener.
The Dons are also keen on bringing Liam Scales back to Pittodrie this summer following a successful loan spell.
They could have to wait on that one, as new Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers assesses his squad before deciding who will stay and who will leave.
If Williams and MacDonald lose their fitness battles, the starting line-up against Livingston could be: (3-5-2) – Roos, Devlin, Rubezic, MacKenzie; Dadia, Ramadani, Clarkson, Shinnie, Hayes, Duk, Miovski.
That is a strong starting line-up.
However, there needs to be depth in every position as back up – so there is still work required in the transfer window.
Deserved applause for Calvin Ramsay from Red Army
Former Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay received a fantastic reception from the travelling Dons fans at Preston.
Teenager Ramsay was introduced as a 78th-minute substitute for his Preston North End debut in the friendly at Deepdale.
He entered the pitch to a hero’s reception from the 1,332-strong travelling Red Army.
Supporters acknowledged an Aberdeen fan like themselves who has excelled in his career to earn a multi-million-pound move to Liverpool.
Aberdeen born-and-raised Ramsay is product of the club’s youth system and there is a desire from Dons fans to see him be a success at Anfield.
The game at Preston was the opportunity for fans to thank Ramsay for his service to the club in the short time he was in the first team.
And to also thank him for the club-record £4.5 million transfer fee Aberdeen received from Liverpool which can be invested back into the squad and club.
That fee could yet rise to £8m with achievable add-ons.
Ramsay has the potential to make a real impact at Liverpool and made his debut in the Champions League against Napoli.
But unfortunately last season was derailed by injury for Ramsay.
Now he is on a season-long loan at Preston.
Ramsay still has four-years left on his contract at Liverpool, though, and I’m sure Aberdeen fans will be willing him to be a success at Anfield.
Partly in the hope the Dons can land that extra millions in add-ons.
But mostly because they want to see a talented, hard working, dedicated talent from the Granite City excel at one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Excitement over European draw builds for Aberdeen fans
Excitement will have ramped up with Aberdeen supporters after Rangers, Hearts and Hibs discovered their Euro opponents this week.
Hearts will face Crusaders of Northern Ireland or Norway’s Rosenborg in the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
Should Hibernian defeat Inter Club d’Escaldes of Andorra, they will take on Djurgarden of Sweden or Luzern of Switzerland.
Rangers, meanwhile, will play Genk of Belgium or Servette of Switzerland in the third round of Champions League qualifying.
Aberdeen will have to wait to discover their Europa League play-off opponents as the draw is not made until Monday, August 7.
The Dons kick-off in the play-offs on Thursday, August 24.