Manchester City are set to become the Premier League's dominant force again after deciding to unleash Pep 2.0 ahead of schedule.
City boss Pep Guardiola is the driving force behind a spectacular £250million transfer window that could bring as many as six new faces to the Etihad this month, following a huge statement of intent that saw back-to-back Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland sign a contract extension from nine and a half years, which could see him earn a salary package of £240m.
The champions' plan to wait for the official appointment of new football director Hugo Viana in the summer has been scrapped.
But Viana has teamed up with current dealmaker Txiki Begeristain as the Blues to complete deals for Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and Brazilian teenage central defender Vitor Reis from Palmeiras and Italy international from Juventus . back Andrea Cambiaso for a fee of almost £190 million.
City already have Argentinian playmaker Claudio Echeverri in place after the South American Under-20 Championships next month. And Guardioila also wants a new defensive pivot, even though UEFA rules dictate that only three newcomers can be registered for the Champions League.
It's a huge statement of intent from City after Guardiola's bid for a fifth straight title was scuppered by injuries and an aging squad.
Guardiola explained: “We are going to try to do something now, while we would do it in the summer.
“Due to the situation, it has taken a few months. We wouldn't do it (buy new players) if our players were fit, but today I think we have two central defenders, nothing more than that, and with our midfielders we are struggling.
“The situation means we have to do it sooner rather than later. After eight years together we have so many players over the age of 30 and the other reason is the amount of problems we have with player availability. It's a completely normal process, especially as we've had fewer than 11 teams in the Premier League in the last five years.
“All the big clubs in the Premier League have done it and now, because our players are not consistent, we have to add players. We have no other option. We have no alternatives.
“If the players were fit, we wouldn't go to the market. Absolutely not.”
City travel to struggling Ipswich and face a huge battle to reach the top four after a dramatic slump that has seen them win three of their last 13 Premier League games.
Guardiola has also failed to deal with a string of injuries, most notably the loss of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri for the season with a torn cruciate ligament. Haaland is among those struggling to be fit for the trip to Portman Road, with Ruben Dias and John Stones also missing. Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic and Jeremy Doku also spent long periods on the sidelines.
And with a host of players struggling with the physical demands of implementing the manager's strategy after reaching their 30s, Guardiola suggested some of the big names who helped him win six of the last seven titles could join AC Milan -bound Kyle will join. Walker out the door.
However, he hinted that De Bruyne's gradual return to fitness and form could see the Belgian rewarded with a contract extension when his current deal expires and his 34th birthday approaches in the summer.
Guardiola added: “Of course it can happen. Kevin feels better. He talks about 'I feel better, I feel better because I have been having a really hard time for five years.' There is no player at that age, even younger, who cannot play without problems or problems.
“But some problems are harder to deal with than others – and Kevin has struggled with those problems a lot and shown an incredible work ethic.”
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