The time for talking has stopped and the time for action is upon us. Manchester City, already a step ahead of many of their rivals, thanks to the early purchases of Monaco's Bernardo Silva and Benfica's Ederson Moraes, must now come good with the rest of their well-documented plans.
City's uneasy relationship with their full-backs is a story long documented in the world's press during the last two years. As Manuel Pellegrini's reign subsided gently into oblivion from a dynamic and successful start, it became increasingly obvious the wide defenders were no longer what the doctor ordered.
When Pep Guardiola swept in to take over at the start of 2016-17, heavy was the air with speculation about who might survive the new coach's cull.