Only two more sleeps are left for Sunderland supporters until the drama of the Premier League starts.
It's been a long but exciting summer to be a follower of the Black Cats, with a mega £132m now spent on 11 brand new signings following the latest capture of Omar Alderete from Getafe, with the aim to give the Wearside outfit the best fighting chance at immediate survival.
Preparations are well underway for their opening clash against West Ham United at the Stadium of Light, with the dream outcome, of course, being a confidence-boosting victory in front of their adoring home masses.
It might not play out like that, however, with the Black Cats not done entirely with their all rampant business either, as more tweaks are potentially made to try and get the best out of a new-look side in the long-term.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris before the match
Latest on Sunderland's transfer search
Le Bris will have to utilise his full squad across the 38-game marathon of a season to come.
That could result in even more purchases being signed off on, following the £10m addition of Alderete. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had reportedly been on the Sunderland radar as another body up top, before Leeds United then won his services.
Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring their first goal
Sunderland might be luckier with their advances in defence, with former Newcastle United centre-back Lloyd Kelly now on the Black Cats' shopping list at around the £17m price range.
There is also a rising star defensively catching the newly promoted side's eye in the form of 19-year-old Fiorentina sensation Eddy Koudiao.
Eddy-Kouadio
Reports from Italian outlet La Nazione - via La Viola - are suggesting that the teenage centre-back is being monitored by Le Bris and Co. after impressing in pre-season for the Serie A side, with contests against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United seeing Kouadio stand out at the back.
The Frenchman might well believe he can work his magic on yet another youngster if the Italy U19 international were to relocate to Wearside shortly, with Kouadio - who was linked with a move earlier this year - becoming his next Chris Rigg-style project subsequently.
How Kouadio can become Le Bris' next Rigg
Much like Kouadio has generated plenty of hype in Florence for some time now, Rigg has been shouted about regularly among those with Stadium of Light connections as a youngster ready to burst into life at the very top.
Le Bris would get the maximum out of the versatile 18-year-old last season as promotion was triumphantly secured, with the ex-Lorient manager - who has been dubbed a "specialist" in working with the next generation according to Sky Sports' Don Goodman - handing Rigg a weighty 47 senior opportunities.
Sunderland's Chris Rigg
The exciting number 11 would repay his manager's unwavering faith by smashing home four goals and collecting one assist, with football commentator Ian Darke even declaring that he is "obviously going to play in the Premier League" mid-way through these promising exploits.
Darke has been proven right with his comments, with Rigg thankfully staying put this summer despite previous Manchester United speculation. Kouadio will be hopeful that he can receive similar glowing praise if he's thrust into the senior spotlight at Sunderland, having shot up the age brackets at Fiorentina with ease, much like his 18-year-old counterpart at his boyhood employers.
Kouadio's Fiorentina youth record
Position
CB
RB
via Transfermarkt
Indeed, the Fiorentina U19 regular has now accumulated a mammoth 82 appearances for the Serie A giants at youth level, with his ability to play in the right-back slot, away from just being comfortable centrally, making him even more similar to Rigg, who can line up across various midfield positions if needed.
Further, Le Bris will feel somewhat more confident about chucking his new recruit into senior action when assessing how he dealt with those pre-season tests against the Red Devils and the Tricky Trees.
Eddy-Kouadio-1
From 72 minutes of action combined across the two friendlies, the 19-year-old would throw himself about into duels without fear, culminating in 50% of his duels being won from four attempts, as per Sofascore.
He would only misplace two of his passes against Forest, too, with there clearly being a lot of promise in the way Kouadio conducts himself.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris applauds fans after the match-1
It will all rest on whether the Italian defender can blossom into Sunderland's next much-talked-about starlet, away from mere hype, with the hope that he can become the club's next Rigg down the line, as Le Bris' expertise in this area works wonders again.