Saints’ summer of strengthening is heading towards a logical conclusion, and it’s fair to say there is not too much more work to do.

Ronald Koeman, Les Reed and the rest of the scouting team have already recruited the majority of new faces Saints are realistically going to bring in, and have added depth to the squad as well as straight replacements where required.

That was certainly the correct tactic given there were moments last season when the squad was stretched almost to breaking point, and that is likely to only be exacerbated in the upcoming campaign thanks to Europa League participation.

We all expected the goalkeeping department to be bolstered with the news that Fraser Forster is set to miss a sizeable chunk of next season.

Maarten Stekelenburg fills the role of experienced head but still well capable of being a first team regular just perfectly, allowing for Forster to return as number one during the campaign.

The sales of Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin obviously meant that new faces would be needed in those roles.

When Clynhe was unavailable Saints had really muddled by at right back since the sale of Calum Chambers, which left them with just one frontline player in that position.

Others, such as Toby Alderweireld, could fill in perfectly well, but to move them there weakened another area of the side. Alderweireld’s departure, on top of Clyne’s, really left Saints with nobody who could play right back.

That was where the arrival of Cedric Soares was timely and plugged the gap.

Schneiderlin has obviously been replaced by Jordy Clasie, whose reputation suggests that Saints have got something of a bargain.

With Forster, Clyne and Schneiderlin’s positions accounted for, it is only Alderwerield’s that obviously needs to be filled.

Saints are clearly not up to strength in the centre half department.

The pairing of Jose Fonte and Alderweireld was key to Saints’ success last season, and Koeman needs to find somebody else capable of reaching those heights.

Maya Yoshida was a more than able deputy, and you wouldn’t mind calling upon him as and when, and chances are as cover for two positions he will play plenty of games next season, but Alderweireld was on a higher level.

Below the current duo of Fonte and Yoshida there is not an awful lot.

There has been so much recent success in the transfer market at Saints, but Florin Gardos is one signing that has so far fallen short of expectations.

He is still young, and maybe he can turn that around, but right now it doesn’t look too much like Koeman is banking on him covering for Alderweireld’s absence.

After that you have youngsters, who are very promising and might well make a breakthrough to become squad members, but for whom pitching straight into regular Premier League battle might come a little too early.

When you look elsewhere Saints have added sensibly.

Cuco Martina gives them a wide range of cover across the backline thanks to his versatility.

Martina could cover for the injured Ryan Bertrand, and Matt Targett is also there, he provides cover at right back, so it’s not just one player in that position again, and he could even fill in at centre half if required.

Juanmi is a player signed in arguably a position Saints were not desperate for, but was clearly a good addition suddenly available at the right price and adds further depth.

It is fantastic for Koeman to have options in that attacking department.

There appears no likelihood of Filip Djuricic or Eljero Elia returning, but Saints have probably concluded they don’t really need them.

Djuricic was signed as an alternative to Dusan Tadic as the Serbian struggled with injury to play that tricky, number ten role, the same as Juanmi, and Gaston Ramirez who is back in the fold.

However, Djuricic was injured himself more often than not and didn’t make a meaningful contribution.

Elia can run from deep but after that initial impact at Newcastle was steady rather dramatic.

He could have been a useful squad member but with the return of Jay Rodriguez for the upcoming season, Saints already have somebody who has set the Premier League alight in their ranks.

Once they have remedied the obvious need for a centre half, the great news for Saints is that they are under no pressure to add further players.

One more high quality recruit would be enough to go into the new season with, and at least then Saints could pick and choose if they wished to go into the market.

They would only do so for a good deal, and they would be in a great bargaining position.

As they would be very far from desperate, they could deal on their own terms.

It is all a marked contrast to last summer, where a new manager was putting together a squad as the season got underway.

Saints look ready and set to be properly prepared with Koeman having virtually a full squad for pre-season. There is just one piece of the jigsaw left to fit in.