Dundee boss Tony Docherty will hope to do plenty of transfer business this summer.
Managers always do.
But in terms of importance, nothing could come close to persuading Luke McCowan to sign a new contract.
The Dark Blues have tabled an offer to their 26-year-old star man, who has declared himself keen to commit.
If things were that simple, it would be a done deal already. But that’s not the world we live in.
Instead, we live in a world where, according to Sky Sports, Celtic are monitoring McCowan’s situation.
First things first, that speaks volumes about the season he has had with Dundee – and also about the progress he has made at the club.
It also suggests Celtic think he’s got even more in him; that he can make yet another giant leap.
When the Celtic link hit social media, Luke’s agent must have been rubbing his hands together.
After all, it means he’s got a player in negotiations with his club about a new contract, and now the champions of Scotland have been mentioned in connection with signing him.
Talk about strengthening your hand.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens on that front, if anything.
But as a result of it, I’d guess we’re unlikely to see McCowan putting pen to paper on a new Dundee deal in the short term.
It has probably become a “wait and see” situation.
The Dark Blues have the insurance policy of knowing there’s another year remaining on the player’s current deal.
He has their offer, the negotiations are ongoing.
But a big part of building a squad capable of succeeding over the medium-to-longer term is continuity.
A manager needs a core group of players that holds firm over a period of years, while others – guys that stand out for better or worse – move on.
I’ve absolutely no doubt, having watched Luke McCowan in the middle of the park over the last few months, that he could not just be a part of that core group, but become a talisman for Tony Docherty.
That’s why I think getting him tied to a longer contract could be the biggest deal of Dundee’s off-season.
It wouldn’t just stand them in good stead – and protect them from transfer market poachers – for the campaign ahead, it would also be a big boost into the future.
Dundee have been great for McCowan.
I’d love to see McCowan being great for Dundee for years to come.
Conversation