The latest speculation regarding Raheem Sterling's future at Manchester City suggests that even more scrutiny could be placed on one area of the Blues' game in the coming months.
Reports have emerged that Sterling recently had a heart-to-heart discussion with Pep Guardiola about his situation at the Etihad Stadium.
Struggling for game time and yet to commit his long-term future to City, rumours have been circling that the England star could be sold in January - although what exactly crisis club Barcelona intend to barter with to make that deal happen is anyone's guess.
So desperate is Sterling for more minutes that he reportedly vowed to give his all in a more central role. That might not be the news that Ferran Torres was wanting to hear, but it begs the question: who is best suited to the task of being City's striker?
Such is the idiosyncratic nature of the dilemmas Guardiola faces, neither Sterling nor Ferran really want to play in a central role. It's no secret that Sterling prefers to play on the wing or, like he does for England, off a central striker.
But Ferran raised a few eyebrows recently when, despite Guardiola's early-season brainwave to play him as a number nine, he said: "I consider myself a winger - it's where I show my potential the most, but it's also good to play as a striker."
For both, though, a striking role represents the best opportunity for minutes on the pitch.
The smell of goals
It's important to remember that this isn't a discussion about who will play in the lion's share of City's remaining 31 Premier League games - Pep Guardiola often deploys a false nine, as he did against Chelsea and Liverpool, which could see both excluded from the starting line-up.
But in the event that Guardiola wants a different presence in the centre of his attacking trio, Ferran and Sterling can offer him and City different things.
Ferran has shown that he is a more direct option who can stretch games with his top quality movements, runs and instincts. In August, Guardiola noted that the 21-year-old has the "smell of goals", a quality needed by any Premier League striker. Both for City and for his national team, Spain, Ferran has proved that assertion to be true.
In a 4-3 win at Newcastle last season, Ferran scored a superb hat-trick from a number nine position, one flicked no-look finish in particular showcasing his instincts and understanding of exactly where he is in relation to the goal at any given moment. In Spain's 2-1 win against Italy in the UEFA Nations League semi-final last week, he converted two crosses from the left-hand side with the composure and deadliness of a striker 10 years his senior.
The statistics suggest that Ferran is a more clinical penalty area presence than teammate Sterling. The former Valencia youngster has registered an xG rating of 2.4 in 303 Premier League minutes this season, with the Sterling amassing 1.6.
Of course, this is slightly skewed by the fact that more of Ferran's minutes have come in a central role than Sterling (who has been deployed on the wing on a couple of occasions), so he is likely to see better chances come his way.
Direct running vs cute movement
In games where City want to exploit space behind defences, as they did in the 5-0 wins against Norwich and Arsenal, then Ferran is the best option due to his intelligent and direct running.
But in situations where tightly packed opposition needs to be picked apart then Sterling's ability to drag defenders out of position and create space for others is the way to go.
Sterling is more suited to build-up play than Ferran, even though he regularly shows for England that he can be a clinical finisher. He is a much more accomplished passer than his younger teammate, having completed 82.8% this season, compared to Ferran's 76.4%.
Raheem takes more touches (something that he is sometimes criticised for) than Ferran (44.5 per 90 minutes vs 30.6) but in terms of build-up play and creating chances for others, that is probably a good thing.
Ultimately, it all comes down to what Pep wants out of his striker in any given game. If he wants a direct goal threat, then Ferran seems the best bet. If he wants someone who is going to score but also pick open defences with passes and clever movement, then Sterling is arguably the way to go.
However, Guardiola's current preference for playing without a fixed striker means maybe neither is likely to play as much as they would like to this season.
Who do you think should get the nod up front: Ferran Torres of Raheem Sterling? Follow City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
