While we reach the last week of the summer transfer window, Manchester City considered late madness.
They find themselves in a position of silent uncertainty. Internally, there is an emerging feeling that the current team may not be equipped to compete on all fronts.
Although there is no major panic inside the Etihad campus, 2-0 defeat against Tottenham served as a moment of reflection.
He underlined a concern that existed in the background throughout the summer-that the early overhaul of the team may not have gone far enough to approach the key areas of vulnerability.
During the weekend, City intensified talks with Paris Saint-Germain concerning Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The club explores the option of a late move for the Italian goalkeeper, and we understand that other teams of the team – in particular in attack – are also under examination, in the event of late opportunities.
There is a belief in certain parts of the football department that a new attacker strengthening could be crucial. The Rodrygo of Real Madrid, in particular, was on the radar.
The feeling is that rivals such as Arsenal and Liverpool have evolved with greater clarity and momentum on the market, and this city may require a last push to equal them on the length of a demanding season.
The response to the result of Tottenham internally was not dramatic, but it has strengthened some of the doubts that already existed.
He followed an easy victory on wolves, and city staff recognize that this inconsistency can become as common as last season if it does not add a late depth.
It is a complicated choice because Pep Guardiola does not like to work with a large number, but even an additional outside player could become significant.
The current team is not invited to reproduce the relentless success of recent years, but rather to find its own identity.
He is lost for anyone in City that expectations remain high. It is a club that has redefined success in English football in the last decade.
But it is also a club that is now trying to manage the balance between transition, evolution and ambition.
The last week of the transfer window will be interesting.
There may still be one or two important movements to come. But once the window is finished, the accent will move entirely to Guardiola and the team he shaped, responsible for proving that his coaching can help them challenge for the best prices in the game.
