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On the day Graham Potter was unveiled as Swansea City manager, one of the first questions he was asked was whether he would be rebuilding the squad.

"There will be an element of that," he said .

"There will be a restructure but it has to be done in the right way. We will make good decisions and try and build a team the supporters can be proud of and connect with. I am excited about that."

Potter has talked a good game in the last few weeks and all the early signs up at Fairwood point to a positive atmosphere and welcome sea change in attitude.

But with three weeks until the start of the season Swansea have added just three new faces to the squad in SA1 - winger Joel Asoro, Real Madrid youngster Jordi Govea and Liverpool starlet Yan Dhanda.

Govea and Dhanda are likely to join up with Cameron Toshack and Gary Richards’ under-23 squad, meaning it is just the former Sunderland man who has arrived for first-team action in a summer which promised - and needed - much change.

Why has the recruitment been staggered? Why the delay when it is clear to many what needs to be done?

Fans have complained about the activity - or lack thereof - and that is understandable, given what is at stake and the experience of seasons past.

But there are legitimate reasons behind the inactivity which perhaps need to be expanded on.

Potter has only been here five minutes

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Well, maybe a little longer than five minutes, but you get the point.

Potter arrived in South Wales on June 11 and although he, Kyle Macaulay and Billy Reid have no doubt been keeping a dossier on players for months if not years, it will take time for the trio to assess the squad fully.

They have seen their charges play just one pre-season game - and a handful of trainings sessions - nowhere near long enough to assess the players’ individual strengths and weaknesses and their suitability to the Potter project going forward.

“I don’t think everything can be fixed in one go, it would be unrealistic to say that. We have to make the right decisions, and not quick and easy ones,” he told the fans' forum earlier this month , during which he conducted himself impecably.

“We have to be responsible. We have a short-term need to be competitive in the Championship, but there is also a longer-term rebuilding process.

“There are Premier League players and contracts that are not sustainable for the long-term future of the club.

“But it is not as simple as saying players have to leave before others come in, but I will use the word ‘restructuring’ again. There will be a bit of that, players' careers and the market will dictate that.

“It would also be unfair of me to make judgments of players based on the last three years because it has been a negative pressure-cooker situation, so I want to make decisions based on what I see.

“We have got some talent here, lots of players that are keen to show they can enjoy their football and perform well.

“That’s our job, to help them do that.”

Potter's nod to short term and longer-term projects is interesting.

Time is needed, even if time isn’t on his side.

A balance will need to be struck between those priorities, which is easier said than done, of course.

And it is not just the boss, either...

There has also been a huge revamp of the club's scouting network this summer.

Just weeks ago majority co-owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien, along with chairman Huw Jenkins, revealed that the significant changes would happen "in the next few weeks".

"Graham will be the single most important voice in the recruitment process," a statement from the board read .

"He is the leader and has the final say on the players we buy and sell within the financial framework set by the chairman and Board of Directors.

"Of course, he will have a support structure around him. Kyle Macauley has been appointed as the club’s new Head of Recruitment after working closely with Graham at Ostersund and the relationship between them is vital to the success of our new system. It will be Kyle who is charged with heading up the day-to-day recruitment process.

"Between them, they will oversee a completely new scouting network which, as a priority, will be recruited and finalised over the next few weeks. Graham will decide which areas of the team or squad need strengthening and then Kyle will identify the key targets, research and study all the available information including scouting reports and data before providing a list to be pursued."

The club's poor record in the recruitment department has been evident for some time, with the owners themselves admitting it has not been up to scratch.

The entire framework changing has obviously taken time, but it should be seen as a positive nevertheless.

The implementation of new ideas, structures and priorities is a necessary hassle.

Even the most disgruntled supporter would recognise that.

Outs first, surely

(Image: Getty Images)

Swansea’s relegation from the Premier League heralded an acceptance among fans that the bigger-name stars would be on their way this summer.

Alfie Mawson, the Ayew brothers, Federico Fernandez, Borja Baston, Wilfried Bony and Jefferson Montero all look likely to leave, with question marks hanging over Sam Clucas, Kyle Naughton and Jordi Amat as well.

It is a numbers game, in terms of squad depth and the financials.

Potter needs to know which players will be at his disposal this season and know how much of a kitty he has to spend.

The World Cup and external factors

(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Swansea had four players at the World Cup, two of whom (Lukasz Fabianski and Ki Sung-Yueng) have since left for West Ham United and Newcastle United respectively.

An international tournament always has a knock-on effect in terms of recruitment, and although Swansea are now dining at a different table compared to when they were in the Premier League, the competition must be taken into account.

Players who shine may earn big-money moves elsewhere, meaning a door opens for others; loan moves may now edge closer as managers clarify their squads or look to shift men on.

Harry Wilson at Liverpool is a perfect example of this; Xherdan Shaqiri's move to Anfield - only completed over the weekend because of his Russia 2018 commitments - probably means Wilson will indeed now leave on loan.

Derby, Swansea and Stoke are the frontrunners - and he'd be an excellent signing for all three.

The age-old domino effect still affects Championship clubs too. In fact, the slip down a division has probably made it even more acute.

But now for the caveat...

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

So there you have some factors behind the delays.

All very well and good, you may say. But the reality remains stark.

The season starts in 20 days. The transfer window closes just five days later.

There is a tremendous amount of work to do and so very little time to do it.

The delay in getting Potter and his team in may have an effect but it was important that Swansea got the man they wanted - and more importantly, the right man.

It is far too early to judge Potter but the initial signs look good, and if the framework is in place, Swansea are on the right path.

As the manager said, the squad problems won't be solved in just this window; indeed, it may take two or three to iron out all the issues and correct mistakes from seasons gone by.

A tough start in terms of fixtures won't be helped by a squad in flux.

Potter's next three weeks will indeed be exciting - and a real test of his managerial abilities.