It may not feel like it, but Manchester City are approaching a pivotal moment in their history.
Following City's failure to sign Harry Kane in the summer, all the talk surrounding the club has been about which striker they will sign. The expected January sale of Ferran Torres to Barcelona has served only to increase expectations of a new arrival, prompting Pep Guardiola to address the Blues' position in the transfer market.
"We didn't buy any striker. Sooner or later this club has to. One day it’s going to happen," the Catalan coach told the Daily Mail.
At first that sounds a little dramatic - after all, City are no strangers to spending money on top quality footballers. But when City, as Guardiola put it, "sooner or later" sign a striker, they will likely find themselves changing transfer strategy for the first time since Pep arrived at the club in 2016.
Unlike many of Europe's other elite sides, City have stayed clear of signing established superstars for the big bucks. Rather than assemble a team of 'galacticos', Guardiola has sculpted a squad of players who meet specific needs on the pitch but also fit into his dressing room environment.
Some of the players signed under Guardiola - like Ruben Dias and Rodri - cost over £60m, but they were not exactly household names before arriving in Manchester. City didn't face a bidding war to secure their services.
The fact that City have spent a lot of money on slightly under-the-radar names indicates that they have conducted meticulous scouting beforehand to make sure they sign the right guy.
If City pursue Erling Haaland next summer as they are expected to do, it would indicate a departure from the aforementioned approach.
Of course, there is no doubting that Haaland is an excellent footballer, a striker wanted the world over who, at 21 years old, has the potential to become even better.
But even at such a young age, he is already an established superstar. He is represented by one of football's biggest super-agents, Mino Raiola, and he is wanted by a litany of European clubs.
While his contract at Borussia Dortmund includes a modest £65m release clause, contract negotiations would see City dragged into a bidding war with the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea. That just isn't very... City.
Perhaps this is a path that after five-and-a-half years of life under Guardiola, City just have to go down. The Blues could instead look to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic, seemingly a more City-like signing, but while the same age as Haaland and clearly a natural goal-scorer, he represents more of a gamble.
The Serbian has not been playing at the top of his game for quite as long as Haaland, and he is yet to prove his abilities in either an elite team or the Champions League.
Haaland is the real deal and everyone can see it. If Guardiola wants his striker in the summer, then City will have to throw caution to the wind and break free of the strict transfer policy that has served them so well.
Do you think that Man City should sign Erling Haaland next summer? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
