Pep Guardiola laid down a significant marker when allowing Joao Cancelo to leave Manchester City on what was an unpredictably chaotic deadline day at the Etihad Stadium and beyond.
City have not exactly made a habit of springing such surprises, at least in the transfer market, although their innovative Catalan manager does have form for a few twists and turns. But his next big statement might well have been mapped out already no matter how things play out this season.
Despite having to play catch up on Arsenal at the Premier League summit, there is every chance City and the star-studded team Guardiola possesses can bridge the gap and get their hands on another English crown and this, too, could finally be the year Kevin de Bruyne and his teammates end their European hoodoo.
READ MORE: Every word from press conference
City, also, remain in the FA Cup. What would be viewed as an inviting opportunity for their rivals is, wrongly, being described as a "slump" for the champions, at least in some quarters. Far from it. And there could be more gold on the horizon.
Having bided their time to replace Sergio Aguero when he departed last summer, City won the goalscoring lottery when signing Norway striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and could yet double up on their jackpot by getting their hands on his former Bundesliga teammate Jude Bellingham.
Liverpool and Spanish giants Real Madrid might have something to say about that. Chelsea have, seemingly, ruled themselves out of the race by signing Enzo Fernandez for a British record £107million, although with the rate they are going this season it would not be completely unthinkable for them to launch a pursuit.
Either way, the cards are stacked in favour for City and Guardiola knows it.
He allowed one Portugal international to leave in the January window - and that switch to the Allianz Arena could prove to be a permanent one for Cancelo - but his countryman Bernardo Silva stayed put amid ongoing speculation over his future. So too club captain Ilkay Gundogan.
Very few players have the capacity to replace those two and City will certainly miss them if these next few months do prove to be their swansong. But that man Bellingham would, at least, smooth the next transition while Guardiola bids to revamp his engine room after prompting similar changes in attacking quarters as well as his defensive line not too long ago.
And he proved that to him first-hand just a few months ago. "The quality and skills, everyone knows about it, but it's not just about that," proclaimed Guardiola after Bellingham scored against City, albeit in a losing cause for Dortmund on their Champions League trip to the Etihad Stadium in September.
"As I said when he was 17, it wasn't just the quality, added Guardiola. "It was about he was shouting, leading, kicking, and going to the referee. I thought this guy was something special in terms of his mentality and he is already one the [Dortmund] captains and when that happens at 19, it is quite impressive."
Mentality and character have been buzzwords at City over the last few weeks. Guardiola's infamous rant after beating Tottenham last month - their opponents again on Sunday afternoon - was always going to result in casualties. It was as predictable as seeing his words used to hang up an argument that cracks are starting to appear within the City ranks.
Maybe that is what he would want them to believe? City and Guardiola have achieved what they have over these last few seasons because they have an elite team-first mentality and anyone who does not fall into line by the smallest percentage might as well be deemed surplus to requirements on the spot to preserve status as the yardstick.
He would not have to worry about Bellingham in that regard. It is forged within his DNA.
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