After missing out on Harry Kane in the summer, it was always going to be intriguing to see which way Manchester City turned in an attempt to find their new centre-forward.
Recent reports regarding a possible move for the England captain have fizzled out, with the striker only scoring one Premier League goal this season after the City saga.
Instead, some of the game's up and coming forwards have started to be tipped as possible options for Pep Guardiola's side, who are still top of the pile in the Premier League despite their failure to land a number nine.
Here Mirror Sport brings you all of your latest Man City transfer rumours.
Would Haaland or Vlahovic be a better fit for City? Let us know in the comments below!
Haaland interest played down
According to Sport (h/t Sport Witness), City are not as keen as some of European football's other elite sides on Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland.
Earlier this week, the forward's agent Mino Raiola named a number of potential suitors for the striker in City, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The Catalan newspaper has assessed those claims and the chances of all four clubs of securing the signature of the prodigious Norwegian, who can leave the Westfalenstadion in the summer for £63million due to a clause in his contract.
It's said City "do not seem to have much interest in Haaland", with the longstanding animosity that has existed between Guardiola and Raiola noted as a factor.
City can secure Vlahovic in January
Former Fiorentina defender and current pundit Lorenzo Amoruso believes City and Tottenham Hotspur could potentially strike a deal for Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window.
The forward has shone in Serie A this season, netting an incredible 15 goals in 17 appearances. At just 21, the Fiorentina man is among European football's most sought-after tyros.
Amoruso told Viola News (h/t Sport Witness ) the two Premier League clubs possess the pulling power to potentially bring in Vlahovic next month, although said he expects the saga to run until the summer.
"City and Tottenham are the only two who can take him now, but he doesn’t want to leave in January," he said.
"If this continues, the auction will go off anyway in the summer as the English teams have no problem offering insane figures."
Ake 'no-brainer'
Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has told Football Insider it would be a "no-brainer" for West Ham United to target Nathan Ake.
The Hammers have a number of injury issues in defence, with Kurt Zouma set for two months out and Angelo Ogbonna set to miss the rest of the campaign. Meanwhile, Ake is comfortably fourth choice centre-back at City behind Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and John Stones.
As a result, Phillips thinks a move to the capital for the Dutchman would make sense for all parties.
"That’s a no-brainer for West Ham," he said, per Football Insider. "He’s not getting a huge amount of game time at Man City. He’s the type of player who needs to be playing regularly. Ake is a brilliant defender. He would give them some valuable experience as well, having played in Europe and won the title with Man City."
