It's that enticing stage of the transfer window where rumours and confirmed targets become rife.
Expect that to go into overdrive at Celtic over the next few weeks, which is no surprise given the scale and importance of the rebuild facing new boss Ange Postecoglou.
The manager arrived in Scotland last week and immediately began work at Lennoxtown – both on the training pitch and chasing transfer targets.
Several have bubbled to the surface in recent days and it's enough to start to piece together just how Celtic could look under Postecoglou.
Thus, if you can, suspend your disbelief for but a few minutes as we assess the potential makeup of a revamped squad if the manager combines all his targets – both confirmed and speculated – with the current core still on the books at Parkhead.
Postecoglou largely utilised a 4-2-3-1 shape at Yokohama, so we'll take that as a blueprint for now.
There are a few at Parkhead likely banking on being granted a clean slate by the manager and one of those is keeper Vasilis Barkas .
The Greek shot-stopper struggled for form last season but there were enough mitigating circumstances around his first season to merit another chance.
A backline already in need of surgery is likely to lose Kristoffer Ajer, so it's not unexpected that plenty of Celtic's targets so far are defenders.
George Baldock is a long-time target and as Record Sport exclusively revealed earlier this week, Postecoglou has shown interest in the Sheffield United right-back after the Blades were relegated from the Premier League.
He could line up alongside Mario Vuskovic , with the Hadjuk Split teenager on the verge of becoming Postecoglou's first signing.
The 55-year-old is also considering a move for Manchester City centre-back Ko Itakura , already known to the manager from his time managing Yokohama F Marinos, who are part of the City Football Group.
Alternatively, Celtic are considering a return move for Erik Sviatchenko and he could occupy either of those centre-back berths. Itakura can also play as a midfield anchor, which would see him as the replacement for Scott Brown.
Celtic have also been linked with a move for left-back Aaron Hickey and their interest stretches back to before the former Hearts kid signed for Bologna.
Callum McGregor is favourite to succeed Brown as captain and with the iconic skipper off to Aberdeen, that could open the door for Ismaila Soro to fulfil his potential.
Further forward, David Turnbull has all the tools to become a mainstay at Parkhead for years to come.
On the right flank, James Forrest will be desperate to return to form after a miserable, injury-stricken campaign.
The left hand side feels like an area Postecoglou will look to strengthen but, until then, it's a position Mikey Johnston could make his own.
Up top, Postecoglou will hope he can convince Odsonne Edouard to hang around for another season, however unlikely it may feel at the moment.
The odds suggest Celtic will be looking for a new centre-forward but with a move to Leicester off the cards, an exit for the Frenchman is not currently imminent.
