The transfer window is open. Not the actual transfer window, but the one created just for teams in the Club World Cup.

FIFA have generously given 10 days for teams to make sure their squads are as star-studded as possible for their revamped summer tournament - or get anyone running out of contract to extend. Granted, it has had the opposite effect for some with Kevin De Bruyne and some City coaches using the competition as a way to exit before the end of their deals so that they don't have to go.

Nevertheless, Blues have been waiting for any window to open for a good while as they look for the answer to last season's problems in the market. Khaldoon Al Mubarak has raised expectations further by declaring the Club World Cup the start of the new season and promising that City's squad will be pretty much there by the time they arrive in the United States.

"We feel very good about these players. That's four players in January," he said. "And that gives you an idea of what's coming this summer because we will continue this summer with this, serving the needs of the club. And I can tell you today, that's, I would say, day one of the new season, we have clearly identified who exactly are the targets, in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option.