"It's going to be a busy summer, it's going to be a huge summer for the club."
Russell Martin is under no illusions as to how significant the upcoming transfer window will be for Swansea City.
Following the shambles of January, the head coach knows only too well that the club needs to be aligned from top to bottom if they are to have a successful summer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
So what exactly will the rebuild look like? Luke Cundle and Matty Sorinola will return to Wolves and Union SG respectively. But several other exits could be on the horizon.
Martin has already publicly stated that Ryan Manning will leave the club when his contract expires in June, and the futures of Joel Latibeaudiere and Kyle Naughton remain uncertain, too, although there could yet be resolutions regarding those particular issues.
Top-scorer Joel Piroe is set to enter the final year of his contract with the club and, following yet another productive season in front of goal, it would be a surprise if the Dutchman wasn't on the radar of a few clubs.
Nathan Wood is another who has become something of a key asset for the Swans, with his recent debut for England's Under-21s serving as proof that his rapid progress is being monitored elsewhere.
Jay Fulton's long-term future has already been resolved, with the Scot signing a two-year contract extension last month.
However, Steven Benda, Lewis Webb, Nathanael Ogbeta, Brandon Cooper, Joe Allen, Olivier Ntcham, Liam Walsh, Jamie Paterson and Liam Cullen all join Piroe and Wood in reaching the final 12 months of their current deals with the club following the conclusion of the Championship season.
Others such as Morgan Whittaker and Kyle Joseph could also be on the move given that both were sent out on loan this season, with the former barely featuring since being recalled from Plymouth Argyle.
The number of incomings required will depend on the volume of departures, although, whatever the numbers may be, the traits Martin wants to add to his squad are clear.
The 37-year-old has regularly spoken about the need for athleticism in his system, and his comments after the 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic on Easter Monday once again offered a clear hint as to what he feels will improve his squad.
"We're the fifth-highest scorers in the league which takes some doing with our lack of wide men in the final third," he said.
When it comes to the profile of player desired, think Hannes Wolf, Ethan Laird, and even Chiedozie Ogbene, who remained at Rotherham United after interest from the Swans in the previous two transfer windows. Athleticism, explosiveness and an ability to beat a player. They are all traits the Swans' current squad lacks.
Then there are the obvious gaps to fill. Providing that Ogbeta doesn't fill the role on a full-time basis, a left-back will be needed if and when Manning moves on while a goalkeeper is also desired given that Benda will be sidelined for the majority of the calendar year.
Wide areas are undoubtedly the key positions to bolster, though. With so much talk of potential investment into the club, there remains a significant amount of intrigue as to what level of funds Martin will be allocated while it remains to be seen exactly how much the club will need to generate through player sales to remain financially stable.
With less than a month of the campaign to go, planning is already well underway. However, following the misery of January, execution will be more vital than ever across the coming months to give the Swans the best chance of success next term.
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