After splashing out £100million to secure the signature of England international Jack Grealish from Aston Villa during the summer, Manchester City did not bring in any further big-name additions before the window closed.
Grealish was City's statement signing and one that shattered both the Premier League and British transfer records.
The club was also keen to add a striker to its first-team squad following the departure of Sergio Aguero at the end of the 2020/21 season, but despite their long-term interest in Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane they were unable to meet Spurs' demands and get a deal over the line.
Since the summer window closed, City have been linked with an array of strikers, including Kane, who netted four goals during England's 10-0 hammering of San Marino on Monday evening, to bolster that area of the team.
However, manager Pep Guardiola may have, unintentionally, dropped a subtle hint that City won't be on the hunt for a new goal-getter-in-chief during the January window, pointing to Phil Foden's ability to play up front if required.
Following City's 4-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last month, Guardiola raved about Foden's talent, hinting that he could become the club's new No.9.
"He can play left winger, which is a good position, and right winger is a good position," Guardiola explained. "Phil is a player who can play in different positions but especially up front because he has the quality, the precision.
"He had many chances to score in recent games, but he is young and will keep improving."
Considering Guardiola has not ruled out the prospect of Foden continuing at the top end of the pitch, it may be possible that the England ace continues to lead the line and will stop City from investing in a new striker.
Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling, speaking last month, admitted that he would be open to leaving the Etihad Stadium if his opportunities did not increase. The England international has only made three Premier League starts this term and it has forced him to consider his future at the club.
However, Sterling's comments did not seem to spark much concern from Guardiola, who wants players within his squad that are happy, suggesting that if Sterling isn't, he may be allowed to move on.
The City boss said: "I didn’t know [about] it, and I think the club didn’t either.
"Raheem is our player and hopefully will be an important player for us. He wants more game time - like Riyad [Mahrez] when he doesn’t play, they complain, when Joao [Cancelo] doesn’t play, [he] complains. Some players, they complain when they want to play all the time.
"But I cannot assure how many minutes every player is going to play. Always they have to speak on the grass, on the pitch. That is the best moment.
"Not just Raheem - all of them. They know they are going to play minutes. I’m not a guy who only plays 11 players and that’s all. All of them are involved.
"What I want from Raheem and everyone is to be happy - they have to be satisfied to be here, they have to be delighted to be in this club.
"If this is not the case, they are free to take the decision that is best for them - for the players, and their families. This is the most important thing.
"It’s not just Raheem but all of them want to play every game, 90 minutes but I cannot give them that. I cannot assure them. They have to prove every training session on the pitch and try to be happy there."
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