Manchester City have insisted it is 'business as usual' in the two years since the Premier League hit them with 130 allegations of financial misconduct.
While there is still no clarity on when the day of reckoning will be, this month's transfer market could provide an indication of whether the champions have proven their innocence.
A look at the table illustrates how much Pep Guardiola needs to strengthen his squad over the next 34 days.
If Guardiola's bosses need any more convincing about what needs to be done, the sight of their manager handing out a begging bowl after Sunday's much-needed win over Leicester will certainly do the trick.
“We need help in some positions,” Guardiola said. “I thought our centre-backs would be fit all season, but we have struggled. We need midfielders and central defenders.”
City sporting director Txiki Begiristain has become such a master of the market that splashing the cash around the Etihad in January is seen as an act of desperation caused by poor planning.
City's last big-money winter signing was Aymeric Laporte in 2018. Sky Sports reporters forced to stand outside the Etihad Campus in the dead of winter on deadline day have long learned that they will get nothing more than a hot cup of tea.
But Begiristain has dropped the ball.
Perhaps it was the sight of Kyle Walker taking a fourth straight title that led to complacency. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he planned to resign at the end of the season.
What is certain is that Guardiola must take some blame. The Catalan may have signed a new two-year contract in November, but how could Begiristain significantly revamp the squad when the manager might also be planning to leave?
City's inability to build from a position of strength has become a sticking point again. Signing Savinho and bringing back Ilkay Gundogan was a poor deal for a club that likes to brag about having made £250m from player sales in the past two years.
Guardiola insists it is impossible to legislate for the loss of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri for this season, seeing Oscar Bobb break a leg, or having Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden were all sidelined for long periods.
But keeping a small squad was a gamble when you've talked your players into going to the pit so many times. The city has collectively hit the wall.
If it really is business as usual, the club's hierarchy will do what it takes to save the season.
Ironically, the first arrival could come on a free transfer and boost City's attacking options if Barcelona's bid to sign Dani Olmo is rejected by La Liga and the Spanish playmaker becomes a free agent.
City will face stiff competition if Olmo arrives on the market, and even that signing would not appease Guardiola.
Atalanta's Ederson has emerged as a real candidate to help fill the void left by Rodri's absence, but his club are top of Serie A and do not want to sell the Brazilian. Juventus' former City midfielder Douglas Luiz has been discussed as a loan option.
Guardiola is also an admirer of Adam Wharton, his Crystal Palace teammate Eberechi Eze and Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, but City are unlikely to target any of them until the summer after a series of departures.
Defensively, Guardiola may have to hope that his four centre-backs can stay healthy rather than adding another name to his squad.
A real concern is what will happen if Erling Haaland picks up an injury, as their top scorer with 19 goals has had previous problems.
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