Pep Guardiola has been advised to target two Harry Kane alternatives during the January transfer window.
Having coasted to a third Premier League title in four seasons, Manchester City splashed out £100million to Aston Villa for England playmaker Jack Grealish - but key figures in the boardroom were unable to sign a replacement for Sergio Aguero.
Kane was among those linked but, having been priced out of his dream move, the three-time Golden Boot winner had to, reluctantly, pledge his future to Tottenham.
Antonio Conte has since been appointed by the north Londoners and that, for now, appears to have extinguished any hope that City had about revisiting the England captain as a transfer target.
But could there be two alternative attacking options out there?
Discussing all things City with Sunsport, former player Shaun Wright-Phillips pointed Guardiola towards Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Alexandre Lacazette - currently out of favour at Arsenal.
Wright-Phillips said: "Lacazette, he knows where the goal is. He knows how to bring people into play.
"I always believe that when he plays for Arsenal, the front three behind him seem to play better. There seems to be more of a link-up between them."
Wright-Phillips added: "I just think with City, it doesn't necessarily have to be a striker worth £150million. It could be a striker who knows where the back of the net is and I think there's a lot of them in the Premier League and around the world. For me, I would sign Ollie Watkins."
Elsewhere, there has been development in the Raheem Sterling to Barcelona saga - according to reports.
Having been cast aside this season, the England forward has been constantly linked with a move to Camp Nou and other elite clubs across Europe.
While the ex-Liverpool player stopped short of saying that he wants to leave during a recent interview, he did hint that one of his ambitions would be to embrace the chance to play abroad.
However, that would-be decision rests on whether or not Guardiola offers Sterling the game-time he wants.
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According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, the 26-year-old has taken that step further and suggested he does 'want to leave' the Premier League champions.
That's amid suggestions soon-to-be appointed Xavi has outlined Sterling as a priority target.
Regardless of what intent there is with the parties involved, cash-strapped Barcelona might be relying on loans, or other avenues, to strike up deals this January transfer window.
Sterling was named on the subs bench during the Manchester derby this afternoon.
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