So Declan Rice won't be a Manchester City player next season, as he closes in on a record-breaking move to Arsenal.
City bid for Rice, but refused to match Arsenal's next offer which took the deal over £100m. City have a firm stance not to pay over the odds for any player, or to be dragged into bidding wars, and have walked away from huge deals in the past. Their approach to the Rice transfer suggests they will do it again, too.
When they have walked away, City have left key positions light on numbers - like when they wouldn't pay £80m for Harry Maguire, or £150m for Harry Kane, or £60m on Marc Cucurella. If they go into next season with their current midfield options, they will do. And they wouldn't even be worse off having brought in Mateo Kovacic for the outgoing Ilkay Gundogan.
