Julian Alvarez may be confirmed before Monday night's transfer deadline, but don't expect many more Manchester City appearances on the Sky Sports News yellow ticker in the coming couple of days.
Alvarez looks to be a solid signing, but is one for the future as he will remain at River Plate for at least the end of the current season. After that, he won't be guaranteed a regular place at City, and the club will still press ahead with plans to sign a big striker in the summer.
In terms of other transfer business this month, City have sold Ferran Torres, but Pep Guardiola made it clear a replacement won't be coming in for now. The only City interest in deadline day could be securing loan deals for their youngsters, with a handful of players still to sort out.
Morgan Rogers could get a new loan club after a frustrating few months at Bournemouth, even it if means voiding clauses in his deal that could have seen the Cherries make the move permanent for £9m. It's reported that a number of Championship clubs are interested in the England under-20 international, who impressed at Lincoln in League One this time last year.
Finley Burns is set to join Swansea on loan, while James McAtee is a reported target of the Swans as well as QPR and Rangers. Both Guardiola and under-23 manager Brian Barry-Murphy previously said such players were unlikely to move away this month, but things change quickly in football and if the right offer is made, the club may decide that playing regularly in the EFL is better than under-23 football.
But with the EDS side only just moving to the top of the Premier League 2 last week after a slow start to the campaign, losing regulars like McAtee and Burns could derail their title defence at academy level.
Barry-Murphy has made clear that the goal for his academy side is development and performances, with the belief that results will follow as they have done. Speaking to the players, however, they have another PL2 trophy firmly on their minds - especially with early exits from the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League this season.
So if key players for the second team leave, City will want to know there are players ready to step up and continue the good form in a bid to win the title for a second year in a row.
McAtee is the club's top scorer, with 19 goals and five assists at youth level from just 20 appearances. Only forward Oscar Bobb has started more times than Burns for the under-23s, and the centre-back made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup win over Wycombe.
Loans like these summarise the dilemma City have with their young players, but also emphasises their priorities. As much as winning trophies at youth level is welcomed by the club, that isn't the main objective of the academy. Producing first team players is the first aim, then comes raising money through transfer fees. Academy success on the pitch helps both of those things to happen, but City won't be too concerned if they didn't win a thing with the youth team but provided a steady conveyor belt of future professionals at the highest level.
And that is why they won't hesitate to loan key players out if needed. Because one players' departure is another's opportunity. Their good form this season has come without last year's regulars including Liam Delap, Tommy Doyle, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Callum Doyle and Felix Nmecha.
Look at midfielder Kian Breckin, who has only just broken into the under-23 side, starting the last two games. In the recent derby win over Manchester United, he looked like he had been playing with the EDS for ages, when he's instead been a regular for the under-18s.
Alongside Romeo Lavia in midfield, Breckin has now helped City to crucial wins over United and Chelsea, despite not playing a minute in the PL2 before that.
His example is what others will be looking to follow if Burns, McAtee or anyone else leaves in the coming days.
If McAtee left, players like Tai Sodje, Micah Hamilton, Nico O'Reilly, Darko Gyabi, Carlos Borges or Dire Mebude could get more chances, while Liam Delap could get more minutes after an injury-hit first few months of the season looks set to keep him at the City Football Academy this month. Another option would be to push Josh Wilson-Esbrand forward into attack, with a left-back getting a chance instead.
Should Burns join Swansea, players like Sammy Robinson, Shea Charles, Jadel Katongo and Kwaku Oduroh could get more chances in central defence. Burns is an example of the 'conveyor-belt' system, as he jumped into the side when Callum Doyle was loaned out.
And if anyone else leaves, City have no problem in promoting from the under-18s to the next age group if they're good enough. After all, they won the PL2 last season with one of the youngest squads.
So the succession plan is already firmly in place, and individual development will take priority for young players who are the subject of interest. City will simply look at their wealth of talented youngsters to see who will benefit most from a new gap in the under-23s.
It's worked before, and will work again. If trophies follow, even better.
