As we hit the final week of the summer transfer window, Manchester City have been contemplating a late splurge.
They find themselves in a position of quiet uncertainty. Internally, there is an emerging sense that the current squad may not be equipped to compete on all fronts.
While there is no major panic inside the Etihad Campus, the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham has served as a moment of reflection.
It has underlined a concern that has existed in the background throughout the summer – that the early overhaul of the squad may not have gone far enough to address key areas of vulnerability.
Over the weekend, City stepped up talks with Paris Saint-Germain regarding Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The club is exploring the option of a late move for the Italian goalkeeper, and we understand other areas of the squad – particularly in attack – are also under review, in case of late opportunities.
There is a belief within parts of the football department that a further attacking reinforcement could be crucial. Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, in particular, has been on the radar.
The sense is that rivals such as Arsenal and Liverpool have moved with greater clarity and momentum in the market, and that City may require a final push to match them across the length of a demanding season.
The response to the Tottenham result internally has not been dramatic, but it has reinforced some of the doubts that already existed.
It followed an easy victory over Wolves, and City staff recognise that this inconsistency may become as common as it was last season if they do not add late depth.
It is a complicated choice because Pep Guardiola does not like to work with large numbers, but even one extra outfield player could become significant.
The current team is not being asked to replicate the relentless success of recent years, but rather to find its own identity.
It is not lost on anyone at City that expectations remain high. This is a club that has redefined success in English football over the past decade.
But it is also a club now trying to manage the balance between transition, evolution and ambition.
The final week of the transfer window will be interesting.
There may still be one or two significant moves to come. But once the window closes, the focus will shift entirely to Guardiola and the squad he has shaped, tasked with proving that his coaching can help them challenge for the game’s top prizes.
